BioWare supporters have launched a petition on the official website of the Canadian Parliament, urging the government to intervene in the studio's closure and provide the necessary funds to help BioWare separate from EA, operate independently, and acquire the relevant intellectual property rights.
The petition organizers describe BioWare as a representative cultural export of Canada in the 21st century, noting that its titles have sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and embody values such as inclusivity, tolerance, democracy, justice, and civil rights. The petition also calls on Canada to protect its domestic game developers in the future, reducing the influence of interests from American and other foreign corporations.
EA announced last month that it would be closing BioWare, but the announcement made no mention of seeking a buyer for the studio, nor did it propose a plan allowing BioWare to buy itself out from its parent company. Therefore, even if the Canadian government were interested in intervening, it remains unclear whether EA would cooperate. Currently, this petition is only open to Canadian residents or citizens, and the government has yet to commit to intervening or providing funding.
Meanwhile, another petition aimed at saving the Mass Effect series had garnered 299,618 signatures by the time the news broke. Activists also purchased billboards in New York's Times Square to promote their cause, attempting to elevate the issue of the studio's survival to the level of cultural industry policy.