Sep 22

The gaming industry saw major mergers and acquisitions in 2026, even as the mobile market struggled

Acquisitions

▤ Summary

This article reviews the surge in gaming M&A activity in 2026, with the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s $55 billion purchase of EA standing out as the biggest leveraged buyout in history. It also highlights other major deals involving Moonton, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, Playstack, CCP Games, Hipster Whale, and Metacore. The piece contrasts this acquisition wave with weakening mobile gaming economics, including falling downloads and softer player spending. It explains that higher user acquisition costs and slower growth make mature studios attractive targets for long-term investors.