Tag Archives: Electronic Arts

Battlefield 6 & its RedSec battle royale will share career & battle pass progression

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This week, Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios revealed the full details of the battle royale segment of Battlefield 6: RedSec. This new mode launched as a separate, free-to-play module of Battlefield 6, offering players a fresh way to experience the franchise. One of the key features of RedSec is its cross-progression system, allowing for seamless progression between RedSec and the main Battlefield 6 game.

Most of the progress you make in RedSec will carry over to Battlefield 6, and vice versa. This means you won’t have to unlock the same weapons or attachments twice, making your gameplay experience more streamlined and rewarding across both modes.

Battlefield Studios provided an in-depth look at the cross-progression system in a dedicated article published alongside the RedSec mode launch. Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios have promised that a majority of what you achieve in either Battlefield 6 or RedSec will transfer between the two applications. This includes your Career mode progress, battle pass rewards, and much more.

Here’s the official rundown of what will be shared across Battlefield 6 and RedSec:

– **Career Rank**
– **Hardware Unlocks:** Weapons, Gadgets, Throwables, Training Paths
– **Hardware Progression:** Attachments, Vehicle Loadout Items, Camos, Weapon Packages
– **Customization Items:** Soldiers, Soldier Skins, Camos, Charms, Decals, Player Profile Backgrounds, Icons, Dog Tags
– **Badges**
– **Battle Pass Progress**

This system ensures that your time and effort in either mode contribute to your overall Battlefield experience without unnecessary repetition. Whether you prefer jumping into the battle royale thrills of RedSec or the classic Battlefield 6 gameplay, your progress stays connected across both worlds.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146546/battlefield-6-redsec-battle-royale-cross-progression

Electronic Arts sold for whopping $55B, second-largest gaming acquisition ever

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**Electronic Arts Acquired in Historic $55 Billion Leveraged Buyout**

*By Akash Pandey | Sep 30, 2025, 01:24 AM*

Electronic Arts (EA), the renowned video game developer behind popular titles such as Madden NFL, Battlefield, and The Sims, is set to be acquired for an astounding $55 billion. This deal is poised to become the largest leveraged buyout in history, with a significant portion of the acquisition financed through debt.

### The Consortium Behind the Acquisition

The group of buyers includes Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners—led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump.

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### Deal Details: EA Going Private

If the acquisition proceeds as expected, EA’s 36-year tenure as a publicly traded company will come to an end. The game publisher will no longer be listed on the stock exchange.

The purchase price represents a substantial 25% premium over EA’s current market value, with shareholders receiving $210 per share.

EA’s CEO, Andrew Wilson, who has been at the helm since 2013, will retain his position following the acquisition. Additionally, the company’s headquarters will remain in Redwood City, California.

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### Industry Context: Second Largest Gaming Acquisition in History

This acquisition will become the second-largest gaming purchase ever, trailing only Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the publisher of Call of Duty.

Microsoft’s deal faced intense regulatory scrutiny worldwide, with UK authorities warning that it might undermine competition. Approval was eventually granted only after Microsoft agreed to transfer cloud distribution rights for Activision’s console and PC titles to Ubisoft, the developer behind Assassin’s Creed.

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### Market Influence: EA’s Role and Saudi Arabia’s Gaming Investments

EA has been a dominant force in the gaming industry for over four decades, producing some of the most successful game franchises in history. Its football game series alone has sold 325 million copies since its debut in 1993.

For Saudi Arabia, this acquisition represents a significant milestone in its broader efforts to expand its footprint in the gaming sector. The kingdom has previously invested in gaming companies like Niantic and has hosted major esports tournaments to bolster its presence.

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### Industry Impact: Concerns Over Debt and Workforce

The buyers are expected to contribute $36 billion in equity, with the remaining amount financed through loans, primarily provided by JPMorgan Chase. Industry experts have expressed concern that the deal could saddle EA with approximately $20 billion in debt.

There are also worries about potential job cuts as private investors may push for increased cash flow to service this hefty debt. EA recently reduced its workforce by about 5% in 2024, followed by several hundred layoffs earlier this year.

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### What’s Next? Timeline and Outlook

The deal is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2027, pending approval from EA shareholders.

Going private will grant EA the flexibility to restructure without the pressures and scrutiny that come with being publicly traded, where companies often focus on short-term quarterly results.

Despite its loyal fanbase, EA’s annual revenue has remained relatively flat over the last three fiscal years, fluctuating between $7.4 billion and $7.6 billion.

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This acquisition marks a transformative chapter for EA and reflects the evolving landscape of the gaming industry and investment trends globally.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/video-game-maker-electronic-arts-acquired-for-55b/story

Evening Reading – September 26, 2025

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Hello, Shacknews readers!

Once again, I am away—this time in Atlanta for MagicCon. Let’s wrap up the week with another round of news, memes, and entertainment in this Friday edition of *Evening Reading*.

—

### In Case You Missed It at Shacknews:

– **Kirby the Spinoff Super Star**
– **Borderlands 4 developers talk about the challenges of evolving the series**
– **Electronic Arts (EA) is reportedly nearing a $50 billion deal to go private in a leveraged buyout**
– **Magic: The Gathering’s 2026 sets feature Marvel Super Heroes, The Hobbit & Star Trek**

—

### Your Weekly Reminder

Be sure to check out **Shackmaps**, our growing collection of interactive video game maps designed to enhance your gameplay experience!

**Introducing Shackmaps**
Free interactive video game maps are now available. We recently added **Hollow Knight: Silksong** to the collection!

—

### It’s the Weekend — Time to Play!

Take some time this weekend to find yourself a game and dive in!

**Weekend Console Download Deals for Sept. 26:**
Enjoy the Tokyo Game Show sales happening right now.

**Weekend PC Download Deals for Sept. 26:**
Don’t miss the free Steam weekends for *Rematch* and *Diablo 4.*

—

### Around the Gaming Horn

Here’s some rapid-fire news to wrap up your week:

– See how combat will look in the upcoming **Yakuza Kiwami 3.**
– **Mega Lucario** and **Mega Charizard X** are coming to *Pokémon UNITE.*
– Some new StarCraft-themed skins are coming to *Diablo 4.*
– *Possessor(s)* now has an official release date.
– Check out the Secret Lair Magic: The Gathering drops, including a special collaboration with PlayStation.

—

### Other Stuff From The Internet!!!

**Today in Bubbletron:**
Be sure to play Bubbletron today!

**Load Management:**
Bleacher Report’s new animated sports show dives into some hot topics.

—

### Movie News: Unfriended

*THE SOCIAL NETWORK 2* is officially titled **THE SOCIAL RECKONING.**

– Jeremy Strong will star as Mark Zuckerberg, replacing Jesse Eisenberg.
– Also starring Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Bill Burr.
– Hits theaters on October 9, 2026.

> “We’re not lucky enough, either in this movie or in real life, to have this end with Mark Zuckerberg paying for his crimes.”
> — DiscussingFilm (@discussingfilm.net), September 26, 2025, 1:57 PM

—

### Nothing but the Hotfix

Games Done Quick (GDQ) heard you like monkeys. Hotfix shows air every week, and you can catch them all on the Games Done Quick Twitch account.

—

### This Week in Shaqnews

Shaq got the moves!!
*Dancin’ Shaq — IT’S STILL REAL TO ME, DAMMIT!*

![Shaq Dancing Image]

— Meidas Charise Lee (@chariselee.bsky.social), September 25, 2025, 10:45 PM

CMLL’s best battled it out in this special tie-in with *Pokemon Legends: Z-A.*

—

### Tonight in Video Game Music

If you’ve played *Hades 2*, you’ve probably reached the second boss—they’re very musical! Let’s listen to Ro Panuganti and Allison Martin cover one of their songs.

—

That’s it for this week’s *Evening Reading*! Have a great weekend, and happy gaming!

— Shacknews
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146130/evening-reading-september-26-2025

Evening Reading – September 26, 2025

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Hello, Shacknews fans!

Once again, I am away—this time in Atlanta for MagicCon. Let’s wrap up the week with another round of news, memes, and entertainment in this Friday edition of *Evening Reading*.

—

### In Case You Missed It at Shacknews:

– **Kirby the Spinoff Super Star**
– **Borderlands 4 Developers Talk About the Challenges of Evolving the Series**
– **Electronic Arts (EA) Reportedly Nearing a $50 Billion Deal to Go Private in Leveraged Buyout**
– **Magic: The Gathering’s 2026 Sets Feature Marvel Super Heroes, The Hobbit & Star Trek**

—

### Your Weekly Reminder: Check Out Shackmaps!

Don’t forget to explore Shackmaps, our growing collection of video game maps designed to enhance your gameplay experience!

– **Introducing Shackmaps: Free Interactive Video Game Maps**
– We now have *Hollow Knight: Silksong*!

And, because it’s the weekend, go find yourself something fun to play!

—

### Weekend Download Deals – Sept. 26

**Console Deals:** Tokyo Game Show sales are live!

**PC Deals:** Free Steam weekends for *Rematch* and *Diablo 4*.

—

### Around the Gaming Horn

Here’s some rapid-fire news to wrap up your week:

– Get a first look at combat in the upcoming *Yakuza Kiwami 3*.
– Mega Lucario and Mega Charizard X are coming to *Pokemon UNITE*.
– New StarCraft-themed skins are coming to *Diablo 4*.
– *Possessor(s)* now has a confirmed release date.
– Check out the latest Secret Lair Magic: The Gathering drops, including a special collaboration with PlayStation.

—

### Other Stuff From The Internet!!!

**Today in Bubbletron:** Be sure to play *Bubbletron* today!

**Load Management:** Bleacher Report’s new animated sports show dives into some hot topics.

—

### Unfriended: THE SOCIAL NETWORK 2

The sequel is officially titled **THE SOCIAL RECKONING.** Jeremy Strong will star as Mark Zuckerberg, replacing Jesse Eisenberg. The cast also features Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Bill Burr.

The movie hits theaters on **October 9, 2026**.

![THE SOCIAL RECKONING](#)
*DiscussingFilm (@discussingfilm.net), September 26, 2025, at 1:57 PM*
_”We’re not lucky enough, either in this movie or in real life, to have this end with Mark Zuckerberg paying for his crimes.”_

—

### Nothing but the Hotfix

Games Done Quick heard you like monkeys! GDQ’s Hotfix shows air every week and you can catch them all at the Games Done Quick Twitch account.

—

### This Week in Shaqnews

Shaq’s got the moves!!

![Dancin’ Shaq](#)
*Meidas Charise Lee (@chariselee.bsky.social), September 25, 2025, at 10:45 PM*
_”Dancin’ Shaq. IT’S STILL REAL TO ME, DAMMIT!”_

—

### CMLL’s Best Battled It Out in a Special Tie-In With Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

—

### Tonight in Video Game Music

If you’ve played *Hades 2*, you’ve probably reached the second boss. They’re very musical, so let’s listen to Ro Panuganti and Allison Martin cover one of their songs.

—

That’s it for this week’s Evening Reading. Enjoy your weekend, and happy gaming!

—Your Shacknews Team
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146130/evening-reading-september-26-2025