Fans and Canadian politician push to save BioWare and Mass Effect
Efforts to save BioWare and its Mass Effect franchise are gaining momentum, with a Canadian opposition leader calling for government support to revive the studio while an online petition has attracted more than 100,000 signatures.
Avi Lewis, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), has proposed that the federal government help former BioWare employees purchase the studio from Electronic Arts (EA) and operate it independently.
The proposal follows EA’s decision on October 21 to shut down the Edmonton-based developer after 31 years and cancel the next Mass Effect game.
«The developers at BioWare know how to run the studio. They know how to make the games we all love,» Lewis wrote on Bluesky.
He argued that employees should receive the first opportunity to acquire the company with federal financial support.
Lewis also criticised EA’s recent $55bn acquisition by an investor consortium involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, arguing that private equity ownership prioritises short-term profits.
Mass Effect petition surpasses 100,000 signatures
Meanwhile, fans have launched a #SaveMassEffect petition, calling on EA to preserve the science-fiction franchise.
The petition, created on October 21, had attracted approximately 101,982 signatures by October 24, exceeding its original target of 30,000.
Rather than demanding that EA reopen BioWare, the petition asks the publisher to transfer Mass Effect development to another studio or license the intellectual property to an external developer.
Its organiser, Joe Smith, warned that abandoning the franchise would jeopardise decades of storytelling and world-building.
Daniel Casey, a screenwriter working on Amazon‘s upcoming Mass Effect television adaptation, also shared the petition on social media.
A purported BioWare developer has leaked a trailer for the cancelled ME 5 on Reddit. The footage, reportedly titled "MASS EFFECT UNIVERSE," appears to suggest the project was further along in development. Its authenticity remains unverified. #MassEffect https://t.co/5tLchsUhZQ
— We are Mass Effect – #SaveMassEffect (@WeAreMassEffect) October 22, 2026
The campaign gained further attention after footage reportedly showing a concept trailer for the cancelled Mass Effect project circulated online.
Can BioWare or Mass Effect still be saved?
Despite growing support, reviving the studio would require EA’s cooperation, particularly because the publisher retains ownership of BioWare’s franchises.
Industry analyst Joost van Dreunen told IGN that established gaming properties such as Mass Effect could be too expensive for most potential buyers.
Lewis also faces political obstacles. His NDP is not part of Canada’s governing coalition and does not have sufficient parliamentary support to implement the proposal independently.
EA has not indicated whether it would consider selling BioWare or licensing Mass Effect to another developer.
The company’s restructuring involves approximately 400 job cuts, including around 50 positions at BioWare, as it concentrates investment on fewer large-scale projects.
BioWare, founded in 1995, developed several influential role-playing games, including Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and the original Mass Effect trilogy.
Although the next Mass Effect game has been cancelled, Amazon’s television adaptation remains in development.
