Canadian Politician Advocates for Government Support to Help BioWare Devs Reacquire Studio and Revive Mass Effect Series

With the closure of BioWare, a cornerstone of Canadian game development for three decades, unexpected voices are starting to chime in on the state of the gaming industry. Typically, it takes a significant event, like mass layoffs and corporate consolidation, to draw attention from those outside the gaming sphere. Avi Lewis, the leader of the New Democratic Party in Canada, has commented on the shutdown of the Edmonton-based studio known for the Mass Effect series, suggesting that the Canadian government should step in to help BioWare’s employees acquire and manage the studio.

Lewis took to social media to clarify that, contrary to conspiracy theories linking the closure to the inclusion of a non-binary character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the real issue lies with BioWare’s parent company, EA. Following its acquisition by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, EA has fallen into the hands of private equity, which typically prioritizes short-term profits over sustainable growth. Lewis argues that this shift has led to BioWare’s downfall, and warns that it may be just the beginning of a trend of closures in the industry. He proposes a potential solution: providing federal support to help the BioWare team buy the studio and continue development on the now-canceled Mass Effect: Universe.

This is the nature of private equity: acquiring businesses, dismantling them for quick gains, and neglecting the very people who understand what the company needs to thrive.

The developers at BioWare possess the expertise to run the studio and create the beloved games fans cherish. They deserve the chance—and the federal backing—to take ownership and steer the studio themselves.

To prevent a similar fate for other Canadian studios, it’s crucial to keep private equity at bay rather than welcoming it into the industry.

Is this just talk? Likely. While Lewis holds a significant position in Canadian politics, he lacks the authority to push such initiatives forward. Many politicians enjoy making statements, and publicly advocating against private equity can be a convenient way to gain positive attention without any real commitment. Still, it’s a hopeful notion. Honestly, I’d welcome a different publisher stepping in to revive the studio if it meant BioWare could continue its legacy and operate free from the internal turmoil caused by EA over the past decade.