Mass Effect 3 Ending (Spoilers Obviously)

[Halororor]

I did not buy the From Ashes DLC, and I will not buy it, ever. That's just a plain ripoff. (I did not buy DLC at all actually, not for one single game. All games I bought are either still standard, like ME2, or GOTY like FO3.)

If CDprojekt RED can give me tons of DLC, patches and even upgrade my version of The Witcher 2 to the Enhanced Edition for free, then Bioware can surely give me some free DLC too.

 

The difference is, CDProjekt Red does not have the same amount of overhead costs that EA has. CPR is a single studio that develops a game every now and then, and then their costs end there. The only remaining costs is salaries, tax etc. EA is a corporation with tons of studios working under them. All those studios need constant funding for their projects. If a single project tanks, the money made from other projects must be able to cover that loss. They need to ensure they have a steady flow of profit in order to ensure they can sustain their company in times when things are going a little worse than is ideal.

 

It's a lot easier for a company like CPR, with less expenditures every month, to release content for free than it is for a giant corporation like EA to release DLC for free. Even so, not even CPR owes us anything past the initial purchase. They're merely doing us a favor by granting us free content. We're not entitled to or 'owed' anything free.

 

In its current state, the gaming industry doesn't have it nearly as peachy as one might think. That's the reason why we're seeing studios close and developers losing jobs on a monthly basis. Just look at Starbreeze. They laid off 25 people before Syndicate was even released.

 

Just look at this article. It talks about 12 development studios who had to close their doors last year. And that's just studios that got canned, not even all the lay-offs.

 

@Marharth, I actually touched all the relevant points in your post. Maybe read it again.

 

Either way, here's a transcript of your logic.

 

*pay $60 for a game, as is. You're not owed anything other than what is already in the box and included in the game.*

Consumers: Hey, Bioware, we're not satisfied with the endings. Fix them.

Bioware: Sure thing. We respect our fans so much we're willing to create you new content to alleviate the issues you're having. Due to the fact that it takes time and money to create, you're going to have to pay a fee for it. Money doesn't grow on trees, unfortunately.

Consumers: No, screw you. We want it for free because we believe that paying for someone's hard work is totally a rip-off. And money does grow on trees, you can do it for free because we're entitled brats.

 

Either way, if you don't like the idea of paying for DLC, vote with your wallet. If that doesn't help, tough luck. What people decide to do with their money is no business of yours.

 

And now I too am out of this thread. I think whatever could have been said, has been said and there's no point to perpetuating an argument if one person thinks he's fully in the right for expecting people to do work absolutely free and is clearly unwilling to see reason.

[marharth]

I never said anyone should do "work for free." I never really said I wanted a DLC. I just don't want people to pay for something that should of been included in the game in the first place.

 

Let me copy paste since you clearly missed a lot of my points including the video.

 

"Any reason you did not address my point about mass effect being a game that is completely about making decisions for the final battle and has everything in the world to do with the ending and due to that it should of been in the game in the first place? Any reason you did not address my point about how Bioware would notice the endings being bad? Any reason you did not address the point about Prince of Persia? Any reason you did not address my point about the Prothean DLC? I can keep going."

 

Let me fix your example for you.

Consumers: Hey, Bioware, we're not satisfied with the endings. Fix them.

Bioware: Sure thing. We already knew the endings were terrible and we would be happy to milk you.

Consumers: No, screw you. We won't buy your DLC crap when you should of included endings in the main game since the entire franchise revolves around the ending.

 

 

I think it is silly to say they were not already planning a DLC. The developers clearly knew the endings were bad and planned for that. You seriously think that a developer like Bioware had no clue the endings were bad? You think they wouldn't have a business plan?

 

Also the layoffs have nothing to do with people standing up to bad business practice. It has to do with stupid rating systems and sometimes people just not liking the stuff you put out. The new Syndicate is a FPS. That is why layoffs happened. Simply by it being a FPS people backed away from it. Why is it a FPS? Take a wild guess. It might have something to do with consumers willing buying crap like Modern Warfare 3 and other extremely simple dumbed down games. Trying to make Syndicate a FPS does not appeal to the older markets so it failed. Has abosulutly nothing to do with standing up to bad business practice.

 

If your choices badly influence others and the market, I am going to try to convince you to change your choices. It is not just up to your personal opinion and what you want to do with your money.

Edited March 22, 2012 by marharth

[hector530]

I will probably buy this ending DLC, but I definitely won't buy any more products from EA or Bioware.

 

Look at the big picture. They won this battle, but they lost the war.

 

same, i dont think ill buy a bioware game unless its under 10. also no i dont feel bad for bioware having to make new endings. o you want 10 dollars for the ending you said you would make from the start O BOO WOO poor bioware. from DA2, me3 day1 dlc to the ending all self-inflicted.

 

bioware's action to change the ending isnt for respect to the fans, its self preservation.

[FreeeLancer]

I'll just address some of the stuff I've read in last 2-3 pages of this thread:

Bioware promised it'll release new content to address the concerns of fans. Whether that'll be a new ending (doubtful at this point), an explanation sequence or new gameplay or something completely different, or whether it'll be free or with price tag is all going to be announced sometime in April (probably around the time PAX starts).

 

The ending(s) was intentionally made to be vague and "matrix-like", probably the most famous phrase connected with the ending is "lots of speculation from everyone". It was produced in late November, only several weeks before the ultimate deadline, which tells me that they didn't have the time to create real endings (the ones that were promised to the players around dozen times before the release). It is my belief that time constraints were the primary reason for the ending(s) we got, especially since EA made it clear after first postponing of the release date that there won't be another.

 

Corporations are inherently evil. That's just the way they are for obvious reasons and complaining about that or defending their business strategies won't get you anywhere.

If you deem the content that BW will produce worth your money then you'll buy it. If you don't think that the content is worth your money, you won't buy it. If you think that the content should be free for whichever logic then just merrily sing "Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum". I honestly don't see any reason for this discussion since it really is THAT simple...

my2cents.

[Gracinfields]

The reason why people want the ending for free is due to the fact ME3 was advertised as a complete game one that has a end, with the way the game is now shows there is no end just a massive vague cliff hanger. As per what is expected by the consumer is that we are buying a complete product on purchase and all other things like DLC expansions are optional; and an ending is not an option to be cut out, thus an incomplete product. Now, I do look forward to see how Bioware fixes this issue coming this April at PAX but I hold little hope that we will actually find out what happens.

[Heffy]

...It was produced in late November, only several weeks before the ultimate deadline, which tells me that they didn't have the time to create real endings (the ones that were promised to the players around dozen times before the release). It is my belief that time constraints were the primary reason for the ending(s) we got, especially since EA made it clear after first postponing of the release date that there won't be another.

...

 

Yup, I totally share this opinion. It's actually the very first explanation that came to my mind after being confronted to the ugly truth about the "ending(s)". It definitely felt rushed and not entirely in par with the rest of the game. There were actually some good ideas, in my opinion, but these were diluted in the "way less good stuff" and kind of underdeveloped.

 

For example, the explanation to the Reapers existence and actions: harvesting advanced organic civilizations to prevent them from creating synthetics who would consequently wipe out their creators... It's not necessarily the most logic explanation, but the reapers were, after all, created by an extinct race so alien that their logic could be just as alien as themselves. So, I'd say why not? I kind of like the idea. But, doesn't this somewhat contradict their own alliance with the Geth and the synergy ending? And what if you managed to make peace between the Geths and Quarians and rallied them to your fight against the Reapers? Basically both organics and synthetics fighting those (the Reapers) who are trying to wipe out the first (the organics) in order to prevent the latter (the synthetics) from wiping them (the organics) out... (ow, my head hurts, all of a sudden... :smile: ) Shouldn't that impact the ending a greater deal?

 

And, as most gamers unhappy at the endings, I was surprised by how little the decisions you make throughout the game effectively matter in the end (actually almost none of these do). Not to mention how small the difference is between the very last sequences...

 

All this leaves me with the impression the authors were either out of time or out of inspiration (or both - after all, it's not easy finding inspiration when you're running out of time).

 

I remember Blizzard postponing the release of their games and their "it'll be finished when it's finished" approach. It sure can be frustrating, but I'd say it's preferable to what happened here...

One would be tempted to hope they'll learn from their mistakes, but as EA has ruined potentially great games in the past exactly the same way, I somehow doubt it...

 

Now, they've (Bioware) promised to do something about it. Personally, I'm not 100% optimistic, as fixing an ending after the ending is twice as hard and I'm not certain either (judging on what they're saying) that it'll be what most people are expecting. Anyway, what I'm concerned, I'll wait and see what they come up with. If it's free I'll give it a try. If it's not... well, too bad - they won't get money from me for a "patch/dlc". :dry:

Edited March 24, 2012 by Heffy

[HellsMaster]

I did not buy the From Ashes DLC, and I will not buy it, ever. That's just a plain ripoff. (I did not buy DLC at all actually, not for one single game. All games I bought are either still standard, like ME2, or GOTY like FO3.)

If CDprojekt RED can give me tons of DLC, patches and even upgrade my version of The Witcher 2 to the Enhanced Edition for free, then Bioware can surely give me some free DLC too.

-snip-

 

I am not sure if you are a fanboy of EA or just deluded. You really think EA can't afford free DLC's? They are rolling in money, most likely smoking splifs made from bank notes.

[AliasTheory]

Forgive me if this is old news, but this seems well-reasoned enough:

 

[FreeeLancer]

^ The indoctrination theory has been proven wrong by the simple fact of how BW responded to the whole crysis... If indoctrinaton ending were true they'd be dropping hints left and right resulting in the "lots of speculation from everyone" and "oh, i see what you did there" reaction from consumers and ultimately acclaimed success of their title.

In stead, they created a wall of silence with occasional "entitlement" and "artistic integrity" phrase in the mix which resulted in the clustef*#@ we're currently witnessing.. That, combined with the fact that they dropped the Q&A part of the PAX presentation tells me that whatever they are planning to announce will not be good or satisfying news, and let's be honest, except for indoctrination theory there ain't any other news that would get them (almost) entirely free and clear out of the mess they made.

[marharth]

I don't think it was really proven wrong.

 

I don't think any game developer can be so insanely stupid with a ending. I can't believe they failed so badly at making a ending. The indoctrination theory works a whole lot better then anything else.