Sending a message.
Ex-employees of BioWare have picketed the developer on November 7, or N7 Day as it’s known by affectionate Mass Effect fans.
The picketers were formerly quality assurance testers of Dragon Age and were laid off from Keywords Studios back in September after BioWare declined to renew contracts. The ex-employees took to BioWare’s Edmonton, Canada offices in protest.
Online, another group of former employees who were laid off back in August of this year began to use the #N7SeveranceDay hashtag and encouraged players to support the endeavour. Each group of former employees is supporting the other with their protests.
“The hope with our actions is [to] convince Keywords to reinstate those they terminated with new work,” said picketer and former Keywords tester James Russwurm said in a statement to Polygon.
“We are 100% there in solidarity with those workers who were let go from BioWare,” Russwurm continued, speaking of the other group. “I believe they have an N7 day announcement that coincides with our strike day and we’ll likely see some of them at the picket line showing support for us. We all worked alongside one another for years on [Dragon Age] Dreadwolf and ultimately suffered the same fate. We hope that our picket and actions can show that there is a way to fight back against unjust practices these studios take.”
BioWare attempted to block the picketers, claiming that their office wasn’t an appropriate location to stage a protest as most former employees worked from home. The Alberta Labour Relations Board sided with the former employees and allowed the protest to continue.
“We hope that Keywords and the Union are able to resolve their differences but ultimately Bioware has no role in that process,” the developer said in a statement. “It is our view that any activities targeting our offices are misguided as Bioware is not involved in any way in the negotiations and Epcor Tower has never been a place of employment for Keywords employees.”
BioWare made a number of teases that coincided with N7 Day, including text that references Liara T’Soni, an early name for the Citadel in “Oculon”, and the year in which members of the Andromeda Initiative from Mass Effect Andromeda actually reached the Andromeda galaxy: 2819.
A teaser video was also released; it’s below.
This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.
