Documentary on BioWare's rise and closure commissioned by Canada's Super Channel
Fennessey Films and Score G Productions are making "Massive Effect: The BioWare Story", a feature documentary on the Edmonton games studio, commissioned by Super Channel. It covers the studio's history and its closure by Electronic Arts, with a festival run and world premiere planned for 2027.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Canada's Super Channel has commissioned a feature documentary, "Massive Effect: The BioWare Story", about the Edmonton-based video game studio BioWare, including its final chapter. DeadlineN “The final days of legendary video games studio BioWare will be told in a doc from Shane Fennessey and Adam Scorgie for Canada‘s Super Channel.” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “Super Channel commissioned the documentary in Canada, and Jhod Cardinal of Upstream Flix is handling worldwide sales.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2The film is written and directed by Akash Sherman and co-produced by Canada's Fennessey Films and Score G Productions, led by Shane Fennessey and Adam Scorgie. DeadlineN “Written and directed by Akash Sherman (Clara) and co-produced by Canada’s Fennessey Films and Score G Productions” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “an independent feature documentary written and directed by Akash Sherman” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2It will trace how BioWare was founded in 1995 by three medical doctors, Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, and grew to sell 100 million copies of role-playing games including Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate. DeadlineN “selling 100 million copies of its role-playing games, which include Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Baldur’s Gate.” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “Three medical doctors founded BioWare in Edmonton in 1995” Read at Collider ↗
Centre · 2Filming began two years before Electronic Arts announced the studio's closure, which Deadline dates to October 21, so the crew was able to capture the closure as it reverberated through the games industry. DeadlineN “filming beginning two years before Electronic Arts announced the closure of BioWare on October 21 last month and continuing to lens throughout.” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “Two years before Electronic Arts announced the studio’s closure last month, a team of Edmonton filmmakers had already begun asking the people who built it” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Deadline reports that EA shut the studio after recent releases underperformed and that 400 jobs were cut. DeadlineN “EA decided to shutter studio, which was known for its complex narratives and world building, after recent releases underperformed, and 400 jobs were cut.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Fennessey said the team started the film before Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released, before the Anthem servers shut down and before the EA buyout was announced, and that after the "shocking news of the closure" they now have "the responsibility of telling its final chapter". ColliderN ““We started this film two years ago, before Dragon Age: The Veilguard released, before the Anthem servers shut down, and before the EA buyout was even announced.” Read at Collider ↗
Centre · 2All three founders appear, along with Casey Hudson, Jennifer Hale and developers including Mark Darrah, David Gaider, Drew Karpyshyn and Mac Walters. ColliderN “The documentary features all three BioWare founders, Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip, as well as Casey Hudson” Read at Collider ↗ DeadlineN “longtime BioWare developers Mark Darrah, David Gaider, Drew Karpyshyn, Aaryn Flynn, Mac Walters, Trent Oster, James Ohlen and Caroline Livingstone.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Deadline adds Douglas Reilly of Lucasfilm Games, former EA chief executive John Riccitiello, Geoff Keighley and Victor Lucas to the list of contributors. DeadlineN “Douglas Reilly, Vice President of Lucasfilm Games; John Riccitiello, former CEO of Electronic Arts; Casey Hudson” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Muzyka and Zeschuk said they were "honored and deeply moved" when the production team asked for their blessing, and that they are proud the film honors those who made BioWare possible. DeadlineN ““When the production team asked for our blessing to tell the BioWare story, we were honored and deeply moved,” said BioWare co-founders Muzyka and Zeschuk in a statement.” Read at Deadline ↗
Centre · 2A website invites fans to share photos, videos and stories for a chance to appear in the film. DeadlineN “A website has also been set up for the BioWare community to share photos, videos and how the company touched their lives for the chance to appear in the film.” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “The producers are inviting players to share personal stories, photos, and videos for possible inclusion through the documentary’s official website.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2The film is planned for a major festival run and a 2027 world premiere; Jhod Cardinal of Upstream Flix handles worldwide sales and the Canada Media Fund supported production, while a specific premiere date and wider release plans have not been announced. DeadlineN “which is being planned for a major film festival run and a world premiere next year.”“The Canada Media Fund supported production.” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “a specific premiere date and wider release plans are still to be announced.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Kim Ball, Super Channel's EVP Content & Communications, said the Edmonton-based broadcaster is proud to celebrate BioWare's "hometown story". DeadlineN ““As an Edmonton-based company, we’re especially proud to celebrate BioWare’s extraordinary hometown story” Read at Deadline ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the documentary announcement as entertainment news. Deadline leads with an exclusive trade-style account of the commission and the closure. Collider opens with an essay on BioWare's player-choice legacy before the announcement.
- Emphasis
- Deadline stresses the cast of contributors, the founders' statement, Super Channel's role and the producers' track record. Collider stresses the studio's legacy, the producers' early start on filming and fan participation.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Collider omits the October 21 date, the 400 job cuts and the Canada Media Fund. Deadline omits Fennessey's quote about the film's early start and does not name the 2027 year explicitly.
- Charged language
- “legendary video games studio”“profound valediction”“shocking news of the closure”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Super Channel commissioned the documentary Massive Effect: The BioWare Story.
- Akash Sherman writes and directs; Fennessey Films and Score G Productions produce.
- BioWare was founded in Edmonton in 1995 by three medical doctors.
- Filming began two years before EA announced the studio's closure.
- Jhod Cardinal of Upstream Flix handles worldwide sales.
- Fans can submit stories, photos and videos through a website.
Super Channel organisation
Super Channel, which commissioned the film, says it is thrilled to bring it to Canadian audiences and proud to celebrate BioWare's hometown story as an Edmonton-based company.
““We are thrilled to bring Massive Effect: The BioWare Story to Canadian audiences,” said Kim Ball, EVP Content & Communications for Super Channel.” — Deadline
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Sympathetic Exclusive trade report presenting the commission, cast and statements, treating BioWare's closure as the film's poignant final chapter.
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‘Mass Effect’ Studio’s Final Chapter Is Officially Being Turned Into a Documentary
Sympathetic Fan-oriented piece that opens with BioWare's legacy of player choice and presents the film and fan participation as fitting.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Nov 16:00 First DeadlineN Final Chapter Of ‘Mass Effect’ Studio BioWare To Be Told In Super Channel Feature Doc From Fennessey Films and Score G Productions
- 5 Nov 21:32 +5h 32m ColliderN ‘Mass Effect’ Studio’s Final Chapter Is Officially Being Turned Into a Documentary
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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