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EA Sold for $55B, Xbox 360 on PC, Fire Emblem Direct

Aug 5, 2026

Electronic Arts is now a private company after a $55 billion acquisition closes, while a leaked Microsoft document points to Xbox 360 games coming to PC and Project Helix. Nintendo also details Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave ahead of its September release on Nintendo Switch 2 The VergeEurogamerNintendo Life.

Electronic Arts Completes $55 Billion Acquisition and Goes Private

Electronic Arts announces completion of acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity PartnersEA is now a private companyGematsuThe Verge

Electronic Arts completes its acquisition by an investor consortium comprising Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, taking the publisher private in a deal valued at $55 billion GematsuThe Verge. The transaction follows last year’s announcement that the consortium would acquire EA and remove it from public trading The Verge.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund reportedly owns 93.4 percent of the new company, while the deal includes $20 billion in debt financing The Verge. That financing makes the transaction the largest leveraged buyout ever reported The Verge.

Microsoft Reportedly Brings Xbox 360 Games to PC and Project Helix

Microsoft is working on making Xbox 360 games playable on PC, leaked document revealsReport: Microsoft to bring Xbox 360 games to "Xbox PCs", handhelds and Project HelixEurogamerDigital Foundry

Microsoft reportedly plans to let developers bring Xbox 360 games to PC as part of its expanding backward-compatibility program, with a leaked document saying studios can opt into the initiative EurogamerRock Paper Shotgun. Reports also place the program on Xbox PCs, handheld devices, and Microsoft’s next-generation console, Project Helix Digital Foundry.

The same leaked material suggests Project Helix could support games from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series consoles, and new Helix releases The Verge. The reported Xbox 360 plans remain dependent on developer participation rather than automatically covering the entire library VGCRock Paper Shotgun.

FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition Studio Hit by Major Layoffs

The developer behind Fifa World Cup - which launched less than two months ago - has laid off 85% of its staffThe ‘entire studio’ behind FIFA’s official Netflix-exclusive World Cup game has reportedly been laid offEurogamerVGC

Refractor Games, the developer behind Netflix-exclusive FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, reportedly loses roughly 85 percent of its staff less than two months after the game launches EurogamerThis Week in Video Games. Staff members tell VGC that co-owner Delphi Interactive has pulled the plug on the studio following release, with the layoffs described as affecting the entire team VGC.

Secret Mode Opens Sheffield Studio for Escape the Backrooms

Secret Mode opens new Sheffield studio to support internal titles, starting with Escape the Backrooms and Chained TogetherGamesIndustry.biz

Indie publisher Secret Mode opens a new internal development studio in Sheffield to support Escape the Backrooms and Chained Together GamesIndustry.biz. The venture begins with three people and is expected to grow to around 20 staff over the next 12 months, while Chained Together joins the studio’s portfolio after Secret Mode acquires it in June GamesIndustry.biz.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct Details Switch 2 RPG

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct details characters, Heroic Games, classes, combat, and moreTalking Point: So, What Did You Think Of The Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Nintendo Direct?GematsuNintendo Life

Nintendo’s dedicated Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct details the upcoming RPG ahead of its worldwide September 17, 2026 launch on Nintendo Switch 2 GematsuNintendo Life. The presentation covers the kingdom of Dagdan, new characters, Heroic Games, classes, and combat features, alongside fresh footage and screenshots Nintendo LifeGematsu.