Key Takeaways
- • Avi Lewis, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP), publicly blamed private equity for the closure of BioWare and called for BioWare's former employees to be given the first opportunity, with federal support, to buy the studio back.
- • Lewis wrote on Bluesky: "This is private equity, this is what it does. Buy up businesses, run them into the ground, and rip them apart for short-term profit."
- • The closure followed Electronic Arts' (EA) acquisition through a record-breaking leveraged buyout by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group and a private equity firm associated with Jared Kushner.
- • Roughly 400 employees across several EA studios, including Respawn, Maxis and Full Circle, lost their jobs in the same round of cuts.
- • The article frames the statement as part of a broader trend of politicians engaging with video game industry issues, citing prior cases involving digital goods, Concord and Rockstar.
Summary
Avi Lewis, head of Canada's New Democratic Party, criticized private equity following the shuttering of BioWare by Electronic Arts, which was announced the previous week. Posting on Bluesky, Lewis wrote: "This is private equity, this is what it does. Buy up businesses, run them into the ground, and rip them apart for short-term profit." He argued that BioWare's developers "know how to run the studio" and "should be given the first opportunity - and the federal support - to buy it and run it themselves."
The article links Lewis's remarks to EA's recent ownership change. According to the report, EA was acquired through a record-breaking leveraged buyout involving Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group and a private equity firm led by Jared Kushner, a son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Months later, BioWare was closed and about 400 employees were laid off across multiple studios, including Respawn, Maxis and Full Circle.
The piece places the statement within a growing pattern of political engagement with video game industry issues. It cites a Mexican lawmaker who in September pushed for stronger consumer rights for digital goods after Sony moved away from discs, and British parliamentary discussion of Concord's rapid shutdown and Rockstar's ongoing tribunal involving fired workers. The article suggests this reflects a new generation of digitally aware politicians and the need to appeal to younger voters invested in gaming.
Beyond Lewis, the article notes that many figures across the games industry expressed sadness, frustration and support following the closure, including key figures from Larian, CD Projekt Red and Warren Spector.
The article links Lewis's remarks to EA's recent ownership change. According to the report, EA was acquired through a record-breaking leveraged buyout involving Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group and a private equity firm led by Jared Kushner, a son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Months later, BioWare was closed and about 400 employees were laid off across multiple studios, including Respawn, Maxis and Full Circle.
The piece places the statement within a growing pattern of political engagement with video game industry issues. It cites a Mexican lawmaker who in September pushed for stronger consumer rights for digital goods after Sony moved away from discs, and British parliamentary discussion of Concord's rapid shutdown and Rockstar's ongoing tribunal involving fired workers. The article suggests this reflects a new generation of digitally aware politicians and the need to appeal to younger voters invested in gaming.
Beyond Lewis, the article notes that many figures across the games industry expressed sadness, frustration and support following the closure, including key figures from Larian, CD Projekt Red and Warren Spector.
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