Following news of EA’s decision to shut down iconic RPG studio BioWare, Canadian fans of the studio have escalated their grievances to the governmental level, calling on the Canadian Government to step in and save the Canadian studio from closure, seemingly after Canada’s New Democratic Party leader Avi Lewis called on the government to do so.
Fans have submitted a petition to the Canadian House of Commons arguing for the government to find a way for BioWare to continue, such as through funding that allows the studio to buy the Mass Effect and o ther IPs and go independent.
The petition, number e-7898, argues that “BioWare is one of Canada’s most important cultural exports” and that the studio’s closure by its American parent company “represents an immense loss to and possibly a targeted attack on Canada’s cultural legacy.”
“BioWare’s productions champion the values of inclusivity, tolerance, democracy, justice, and civil rights that are at the centre of Canada’s national identity,” it continued.
The petition opened for signatures on 4th of November, and has already amassed 1,700 signatures. By law, petitions that surpass 500 valid signatures from Canadian citizens or residents are entered into the House of Commons’ agenda, meaning they will be presented in front of the parliament.
As encouraging as that may be, it’s worth keeping in mind that it may not result in meaningful change. Even if the Canadian Government agrees with the petition’s goals, it cannot force EA to sell BioWare or its various IPs.
EA notably didn’t shop the studio around before closing it down, and the publisher has a history of closing down owned studios rather than selling them off. EA has also kept the IPs of its various shuttered studios.
The community’s reaction to BioWare’s closure has taken different forms. Hundreds of thousands signed a different petition to save Mass Effect. The people behind the movement have purchased billboards in Times Square in New York City to advertise it, with plans for more outside The Game Awards ceremony in December.
Meanwhile, former BioWare developers have spoken about the last days of BioWare, and the work they’ve poured into Mass Effect Universe, the studio’s final project before it was shuttered.