Mass Effect petition has enough signatures for the Canadian Government to potentially save BioWare
Following Electronic Arts’ decision to shut down legendary Canadian RPG studio BioWare, the gaming community has escalated efforts to save the studio by petitioning the Canadian government. A petition submitted to the Canadian House of Commons (petition e-7898) has gathered over 1,600 verified signatures from Canadian citizens, reaching the threshold required for an official government response.
The petition argues that BioWare represents one of Canada’s most important cultural exports, having sold tens of millions of video game units globally throughout the 21st century. Signatories are calling on the Canadian government to intervene and facilitate BioWare’s continuation as an independent studio, potentially through government funding that would enable the company to purchase franchises like Mass Effect from EA.
The push for governmental intervention gained momentum after Avi Lewis, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, publicly called on the government to step in and protect BioWare. The petition frames the studio’s closure as “an immense loss to and possibly a targeted attack on Canada’s cultural legacy.”
This initiative reflects growing concerns within Canada’s gaming industry about the sustainability of major studios under large corporate ownership, and represents an unusual intersection of gaming culture and political advocacy.