The leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP), Avi Lewis, has called on the federal government to assist employees of the closing BioWare studio in buying it from Electronic Arts. He believes developers should have the opportunity to run the company independently.
Avi Lewis
According to PC Gamer, Lewis made this proposal on October 22 on social media, commenting on EA's decision to close BioWare and its Edmonton office in Canada.
"The developers at BioWare know how to run a studio. They know how to create the games we all love. They should be given the first opportunity to buy it and run it by themselves—with the support of the federal government," stated the politician.
Lewis also criticized private equity funds. In his view, they often acquire companies only to sell off their assets for short-term profit. The politician believes Canada should deter such practices rather than encourage them.
It should be noted that this is currently just Lewis's proposal. There has been no indication from Electronic Arts of a willingness to sell BioWare or to negotiate with the studio's employees. It is also unknown which assets might be included in a potential deal, including whether it would involve the rights to the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises.
Recall that on October 21, Electronic Arts announced the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of the new Mass Effect. The decision was part of the company's restructuring after going private in August 2026.
BioWare was founded in Edmonton in 1995. Electronic Arts announced its acquisition in 2007 and completed the deal in January 2008.