A petition presented to the Parliament of Canada asks the government to finance the recovery of BioWare, developer of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, after its shutdown by Electronic Arts (EA). The initiative, opened on November 4, 2026, surpassed the minimum of 500 signatures required to advance in the parliamentary process and proposes that the studio return to operating as an independent Canadian company.

Registered under the number e-7898, the document was created by Brendan Routh, a resident of Burnaby, British Columbia, and had its publication authorized by MP Don Davies, of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

The organizers argue that BioWare represents one of Canada's main cultural contributions to the global entertainment industry. The petition argues that the studio's games, sold in tens of millions of copies, helped spread values associated with Canadian identity.

The request presents three demands: public funding for BioWare to recover its independence and its intellectual properties, protection of Canadian companies and cultural institutions against foreign corporate interests and preservation of the developer's legacy.

The initiative comes two weeks after EA announced, on October 21, the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of the franchise's next project, Mass Effect, still in an early stage of development. The decision ended the activities of a studio founded in 1995 and responsible for titles such as Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age.

Petition still needs to complete parliamentary process

Although it has surpassed the minimum number of signatures, the petition was not automatically forwarded for voting or approval.

Under the rules of the House of Commons, signature collection remains open until March 4, 2027. After that, Parliament must definitively validate the support received. If it maintains at least 500 valid signatures, the document may be certified and formally presented to the House.

Only after that presentation will the Canadian government have 45 calendar days to respond officially. The obligation, however, is limited to responding: it does not require approval of the demands nor the requested funding.

Another obstacle is the ownership of the franchises. Electronic Arts continues to control BioWare and its intellectual rights, including Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Any eventual recovery of these properties would depend on an agreement with the company.

The petition also does not request a specific legal designation of national heritage. Its argument is that BioWare's legacy constitutes an important part of Canadian cultural heritage and deserves government protection.

To date, there is no announcement of negotiations between the Canadian government and Electronic Arts to acquire the studio or its franchises.

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