# BioWare closes, PHP flaws take government sites offline, and telecom complaints jump 79%

> EA shuts BioWare, a PHP security scare, a record year for CCTS complaints, Rogers' new card fee, the Crime Stoppers leak and Hive's raise.

- Published: 2026-10-22T11:00:00.000Z
- By: The Circuit Staff
- Type: Daily Briefing
- Topics: Daily Briefing, Gaming, Security, Telecom
- URL: https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-22-briefing/

Yesterday was a busy day. Here's what happened.

## 1. BioWare is closing

Edmonton's BioWare, the studio behind *Mass Effect* and *Dragon Age*, is shutting down, and work on the next *Mass Effect* is ending, [BNN Bloomberg reports](https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2026/10/21/bioware-edmonton-based-video-game-company-shutting-down/). Parent company EA framed it as a cost-saving move.

**Why it matters:** BioWare was the anchor of Alberta's game industry. The question now is where its talent goes.

## 2. Critical PHP flaws take some federal websites offline

Ottawa took some government websites offline as a precaution after two critical flaws in PHP, the language behind about 70% of websites. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security told organizations to update immediately. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-21-php-flaws-government-websites-offline/)

**Why it matters:** If you run a website, check your PHP version today.

## 3. Telecom complaints are up 79%

The CCTS received 53,195 complaints so far this year, up 79%, and warned that processing times may stay long. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-21-ccts-complaints-up-79-percent/)

**Why it matters:** It lines up with a year of price increases and new fees.

## 4. Rogers will charge 1.6% for paying by credit card

Starting January 17, Rogers will add a 1.6% fee to bills paid by credit card, [MobileSyrup reports](https://mobilesyrup.com/2026/10/21/rogers-credit-card-processing-fee/). Pre-authorized debit and online banking are exempt, and so is Quebec.

**Why it matters:** On a $120 bill, that's about $23 a year. Switch to pre-authorized debit to avoid it.

## 5. 1.5 million Crime Stoppers tips exposed

A CBC investigation found 25 years of Crime Stoppers tips stolen from its software vendor, including personal details in more than 850,000 of them. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-21-crime-stoppers-tips-leak/)

**Why it matters:** People who tipped police anonymously may now be identifiable.

## 6. Telus adds scam protection with Norton

Telus Scam Protection, built with Norton, flags scam calls, labels suspicious texts and scans email for phishing. It's included with new data plans, or $3 a month for existing customers, [MobileSyrup reports](https://mobilesyrup.com/2026/10/21/telus-norton-partner-up-on-scam-protection/).

**Why it matters:** Carriers are starting to sell scam protection. Check whether your plan already includes it before you pay.

## 7. Waterloo's Hive takes $27 million USD

Live-event marketing company Hive raised a mostly secondary Series B from Frontier Growth. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-21-hive-series-b-frontier-growth/)

**Why it matters:** A mostly secondary round means existing shareholders get some cash out, rather than the company raising a war chest for hypergrowth.