BioWare's Fight to Escape EA Gains Support From Canadian Politician

A petition with almost 300,000 signatures has caught the attention of Canadian lawmakers, and pressure is increasing on BioWare to go independent and reclaim the rights to Mass Effect.

Will BioWare finally break free from EA? What started as a fan-led campaign to save the famed RPG creator is now catching on outside the gaming world. A Canadian politician has thrown their support behind taking BioWare private again, after around 300,000 people signed petitions in support of the idea.

Don Davies, parliamentary leader of the Canadian New Democratic Party, has also endorsed the initiative on social media. "BioWare’s developers know how to run a company and make games fans love," he said. Davies said they should be given priority and federal financing so they can acquire and operate the studio themselves.

His words have given the petition some much-needed political traction. But this is more than just asking EA to change its conclusions. The idea now calls on the Canadian government to assist BioWare to become financially independent. The petition specifically asks the government to provide the resources BioWare needs to split from Electronic Arts, including acquiring its intellectual property.

The long-term goal is to reestablish the studio as an independent Canadian company.

That's an interesting proposition, especially for longtime fans who have watched BioWare flounder over the years. However, one big problem remains: EA will have to agree to the contract's terms. The Canadian government could be willing to provide financial assistance, but it can't simply take BioWare from its owner.

EA would have to agree to sell the studio and, more importantly, give up Mass Effect. Without the franchise rights, an independent BioWare may not have the future fans dream of. But now comes the important question: what if EA doesn't sell? That is why the publisher's attention has become such an important part of marketing.

Fans have tried numerous tactics to show that BioWare and Mass Effect still have a loyal fanbase. The petition has already gathered almost 300,000 signatures, with fans even forking out for signs outside EA's New York offices. There is also a lot of interest in keeping the debate going around N7 Day and the upcoming Game Awards.

Fans certainly don't want the future of Mass Effect to be relegated to the background while business decisions decide what happens next. Still, securing political support and actually achieving an agreement are two very different things. EA might be a tough partner to negotiate with, even if the Canadian government is interested in the concept.

The publisher has no obligation to sell BioWare or give fans one of its best titles because they demand it.

A lot of supporters consider this project as a second opportunity for Bioware. The company swiftly became one of the top RPG brands with games like the original Mass Effect trilogy and Dragon Age . But with recent games like Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, some players have been left wondering where the company is headed.

There was hope, too, that a return to Mass Effect, perhaps with some familiar creative talent involved, could help BioWare find its way back to what made it distinctive. Fans wanted to see what the team could do with a project that fit its skill set. Sadly, the current situation has made that possibility unlikely.

For now, the petition has effectively translated a community need into a discourse that speaks to Canadian government officials. Whether that attention will be enough to get EA to consider selling BioWare and Mass Effect remains to be seen. But could this really be the dawn of a new era for BioWare, with hundreds of thousands of fans behind the concept?