Politics · Canada · 2 hrs ago
Canadian politician urges support for BioWare staff to buy the studio
Canadian NDP leader Avi Lewis wants the government to help BioWare staff buy the studio and run it themselves.
BioWare was an Edmonton-based game developer known for titles including Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
The studio has closed, and publisher Electronic Arts has canceled the next Mass Effect game.
Lewis blamed private investment for the studio’s fate and said its developers should get the first chance to take it over.
He also called for federal support, but the sources do not say whether the government will act or whether staff plan to make an offer.
The closure has also drawn attention to BioWare’s legacy, including Star Wars: The Old Republic, an ongoing online game the studio helped create.
Its lead writer, Caitlin Sullivan Kelly, called it heartbreaking that BioWare left the game out of its farewell message.
The game is now developed by Broadsword, while Casey Hudson is working on a separate spiritual successor to Knights of the Old Republic.
New Democratic Party leader Avi Lewis urged Canada’s federal government to support BioWare employees in buying and running the studio.
Lewis said the developers know how to run the studio and make its games.
He criticized private equity and called for it to be kept out of Canada.
Electronic Arts announced it was closing BioWare and canceling the next Mass Effect game.
- Who
- Avi Lewis, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, called for support for BioWare employees.
- What
- He urged the federal government to give staff the first opportunity and support to buy and run the studio.
- When
- October 22, 2026.
- Where
- BioWare is based in Edmonton, Canada.
- Why
- Lewis said the developers know how to run the studio and make its games, and criticized private equity’s role in businesses.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
BioWare launched Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Electronic Arts moved BioWare off development of Star Wars: The Old Republic and put Broadsword in charge of future updates.
BioWare posted a public goodbye message to fans.
Avi Lewis called for federal support for BioWare employees to buy and run the studio.
- Studio location
- Edmonton, Canada
- Political leader
- Avi Lewis, New Democratic Party
- Proposed buyers
- BioWare employees
- Government support sought
- Federal support from Canada
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
4 sources
BioWare staff "should be given the first opportunity and the federal support" to buy the studio and keep it running, says Canadian political party leader
A Canadian Politician Says BioWare Devs Should Be Given Government Funding To Buy The Studio And Get Back To Making Mass Effect
Canadian politician calls on government to help BioWare employees buy the studio and run it themselves
What people are saying
The developers at BioWare know how to run the studio. They know how to make the games we all love. They should be given the first opportunity—and the federal support—to buy it and run it themselves.
This is private equity, this is what it does. Buy up businesses, run them into the ground, and rip them apart for short-term profit.
Posts on X
No mention of the game that's been going for almost fifteen years, that supported the studio and all of its projects with income and manpower and time (sometimes to our own detriment). Heartbreaking.