BioWare Fan Creates a Graveyard of Shut Down Studios at EA Offices

EA's acquisition of several development studios has sparked outrage among gamers, who have grown increasingly dissatisfied with the company's actions. The closure of BioWare, the studio behind beloved franchises like Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Dragon Age, was the final straw for many. This decision was met with protests and petitions both online and offline, with fans vowing to make their voices heard.

In response to EA's buyout involving Saudi Arabia's private investment fund, Affinity Partners, and private equity firm Silver Lake, a group of fans decided to create a graveyard outside the company's offices. The graveyard paid tribute to a total of seven development studios that had been shut down by EA, including Bullfrog, Pandemic, Visceral, Westwood, Origin, and Maxis (heavily restructured). Each tombstone displayed the studio's logo, founding and closing dates, a poignant quote, and the word "RIP" at the top.

The creator of the graveyard, a disgruntled fan, expressed their sorrow over the fate of these once-thriving studios, emphasizing that they ran out of time to add more. The quote displayed for BioWare, "It had to be Me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong," comes from the character Mordin Solus in Mass Effect 3, symbolizing the studio's significant impact on modern RPGs.

This grassroots movement is part of a growing wave of fan activism, with protesters in Madrid and New York City taking sides in the debate over Mass Effect. While some favor the Renegade approach, others embraced the Paragon route, displaying their support in different ways. Despite EA's apparent indifference to the protests, the gaming community's determination to protect the games they love remains steadfast.