Now that EA is owned by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, employees at the gaming company have expressed doubts about the possibility of developing games that don’t adhere to the principles of the Saudi Arabian government.
multiple employees EAApparently anonymously, he discussed the uncertainty within the company with game developersAcquisitions worth $55 billion by a group of investors.
Recall that an absolute majority of the company now belongs to arab saudi arabian public investment fundalthough Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners are also in the consortium.
Comments from EA developers
“prince [ereditario] He’s not going to show up at a company meeting and say, “We’re not going to do these things anymore,” but The project simply won’t get approved Because they do not explicitly align with the wishes of the Saudi Arabian government or implicitly state why [in EA si penserà] ‘Oh, we’ll try to tweak this [ai nostri proprietari] Because if we put forward other suggestions, the government may not like it or approve it,” said an EA employee.
Another EA employee added: “It’s really It’s hard to feel at ease The idea of being acquired by a regime that is strongly at odds with a progressive society is therefore certainly a blow to anyone who finds such acquisitions morally repugnant. It’s not a good feeling. ”
Electronic Arts officially enters Saudi Arabia: What has changed since the US$55 billion acquisition
One source highlighted How Saudi Arabia treats queer peoplesaid she “felt dirty” working under him. According to the non-profit LGBT organization Human Dignity Trust, “Saudi Arabia criminalizes same-sex sexual behavior between men and women. Transgender people’s gender expression is also prosecuted by law. Criminalization includes the maximum penalty, the death penalty. There is evidence that these laws have been enforced in recent years, and LGBT people often experience discrimination and violence.”
Recall that Electronic Arts announced new layoffs following the acquisition.