EA Re-Releases 25 Classic Games Amid BioWare Closure Controversy

Electronic Arts (EA) has officially brought back 25 of its classic games on Steam and GOG, including the legendary Wing Commander and Ultima series. The move comes as an oasis amid a storm of criticism that has hit the publishing giant recently.

EA's decision to re-release these older games is not without reason. Since being acquired earlier this year by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake, EA has faced intense scrutiny. The peak came on 21 October, when EA announced the closure of BioWare, the studio behind well-known franchises such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. The closure sparked widespread anger among gamers.

Amid the unfavorable situation, a small group of EA developers instead completed an unexpected preservation project. They released restored versions of 25 classic titles, seven of which are full remasters, including five Wing Commander games, Road Rash, and Privateer 2: The Darkening. While the other 18 games were already available on GOG, all of these titles are appearing on Steam for the first time.

Producer Jim Vessella revealed that the project began in March 2022 when he found a physical media vault at the EA Redwood Shores campus. Inside were nearly 20,000 archived assets, including the original recordings for the Wing Commander games. The team then used the original FMV recordings to transfer them to high-resolution versions, and added 60 FPS support. Nevertheless, some players reported issues with controller support.

"Are you serious? You really chose to make a post like this two weeks after BioWare's closure, after everything the community did to make sure the IP wasn't sidelined?" wrote a user on social media X, as quoted by Polygon.

Harsh reactions also came in the form of a petition calling for BioWare to be revived and the in-progress Mass Effect: Universe project to continue. As of this news being published, the petition has gathered more than 300,000 signatures. Although online petitions rarely succeed, some parties hope the Canadian government may step in after the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) proposed a plan to rescue the studio.

For the global game industry, EA's move shows that preserving digital heritage remains an important agenda, even amid commercial pressure and changes in ownership. On the other hand, BioWare's closure reflects a consolidation trend that threatens creativity and fan communities. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, fans of classic games are also feeling the impact. The presence of these older games on Steam and GOG gives gamers in the country legal access to enjoy masterpieces of the 90s era, although regional pricing and availability need to be considered.

Looking ahead, will EA respond to public pressure and review its decision to close BioWare? Or will preservation projects like this become the company's strategy to defuse criticism? What is clear is that the small step by Vessella's team has saved part of the game industry's history from extinction.