EA acquires Edmonton-based video game maker Bioware

Electronic Arts’ acquisition of BioWare marked a major milestone for Alberta’s game industry, placing an Edmonton-founded developer within one of the world’s largest video game publishers. EA agreed to acquire VG Holding Corp., the owner of BioWare and Pandemic Studios, in a transaction involving up to $620 million US in cash plus as much as $155 million US in equity for certain employees. Founded in Edmonton in 1995, BioWare had built an international reputation through role-playing games including Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The company maintained its Edmonton studio following the acquisition, alongside an operation in Austin, Texas. At the time, BioWare was preparing Mass Effect for Xbox 360. The deal demonstrated the substantial international value created by an Alberta-founded game developer and gave BioWare the resources and publishing infrastructure of a major global company.