A Canadian political party leader says BioWare employees should receive the first chance and federal backing to purchase the studio and keep it operating.
BioWare staff should get first chance and federal support to buy studio after closure, says New Democratic Party leader Avi Lewis.
Background: A Storied Studio Faces the End
The proposal starts from a simple but urgent premise: BioWare should not simply be shuttered after its closure. Instead of leaving the world facing a future without new games from a storied studio, the suggestion is that BioWare should be handed over to its staff with backing from the Canadian government.
The article describes this as an alternative to a company erasing a studio from existence. It points to EA's recently installed owners and says the closure happened after the Saudi Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner have been allowed to load the company with a ton of debt rather than reaching further into their own pockets.
Hope is described as being in short supply at the moment, but the piece still argues that something should come of the proposal, even if it seems unlikely.
Development: The Post and the Buyout Argument
On 21 October 2026 at 21:55, Avi Lewis, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, wrote a post following the closure. His line was direct:
"The developers at BioWare know how to run the studio. They know how to make the games we all love. They should be given the first opportunity - and the federal support - to buy it and run it themselves. And if we want to avoid the Mass Effect effect in Canada, we should be keeping private equity out, not welcoming it in."
— Avi Lewis ( @avilewis.ca )
The piece frames this as "Nationalise BioWare, basically. Well, sort of." It is not presented as a detailed takeover plan, but as a staff-first alternative to letting the studio disappear.
The article also anticipates the reaction from money-minded critics. It says one can almost hear them descending from orbit to complain that taxpayers' money would be used to help create future adventures starring space blokes who say, "We'll bang, ok?"
The writer then notes that he is not Canadian, so this would not be the country he lives in spending cash to help Veilguard avoid being veilgone to the depths of the vault where EA keep Burnout and ten million other defunct series people would like to see return.
Latest Phase: A Minister for BioWare and a Possible Next Mass Effect
The proposal does not stop at the post. The article admits that, in seriousness, it is not totally sure the idea would work out in the long run, but it argues that it is something.
Then it goes further: set up a new position called Minister for BioWare. That minister's job would be to ensure the developers have what they need to get their heads down on the next Mass Effect, which reportedly had a trailer leak the other day.
There is one condition attached. The minister should not be some right-wing crank. Otherwise, the article warns, BioWare might run into some of the same problems that its generally very inclusive games were feared to face under Saudi ownership.
Current Stakes: What the Proposal Means Now
The proposal is not a confirmed plan. It is a political suggestion made after BioWare's closure, built around one core idea: the developers who made the games should get the first chance to save the studio.
The key facts are the post's date, Avi Lewis's role as leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, the call for federal support, the warning against private equity, and the reference to a possible next Mass Effect trailer leak. The article also keeps returning to the same backdrop: debt, private owners, and the fear that a studio known for inclusive games could face pressure under Saudi ownership.
At this stage, the story is still about a public argument rather than an established path forward. The proposal gives readers a way to think about BioWare's closure not as a finished business decision, but as a question about who should control the studio next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the BioWare employee buyout confirmed?
No. The article says it is a political suggestion made after BioWare’s closure, not a confirmed plan, and describes the situation as still being about a public argument rather than an established path forward.
Who proposed it and what did they say?
On 21 October 2026 at 21:55, Avi Lewis, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, said BioWare developers should get the first opportunity and federal support to buy the studio and run it themselves.
Does the proposal mean Canada would nationalize BioWare?
The article frames the idea as “Nationalise BioWare, basically. Well, sort of,” but it is not presented as a detailed takeover plan; it is described as a staff-first alternative to letting the studio disappear.
Does the article mention a new Mass Effect game?
It refers to a possible next Mass Effect that reportedly had a trailer leak, and proposes a “Minister for BioWare” to help developers work on it, but it does not confirm a new game release.
Does the article provide a release date, platform, price, or Chinese localization?
No. It discusses BioWare’s closure and a proposal to keep the studio operating, but does not provide any release date, platform, price, or localization information.
TagsMass EffectBioWareAvi Lewisprivate equityCanadian politics
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