Bioshock Creator Says The Anger Over Mass Effect 3’s Ending Makes Him Sad

90 responses to “Bioshock Creator Says The Anger Over Mass Effect 3’s Ending Makes Him Sad”

1. 

   Lone Wolf

   March 21, 2012 at 2:03 pm

   The JK Rowling analogy is a good one. The ending to the series really had been locked in a safe deposit box since the first book, and received very little revision when it was stapled on the end.
   Yet how many people actually demanded she change it?

   The endings we get aren’t always the endings we want, but they are there for a reason. Work out what that is.

   Reply
   1. 

      brenno

      March 21, 2012 at 4:51 pm

      Harry Potter had a satisfying conclusion and each thread of story resolved. There wasn’t that conclusion for me and it felt half assed, like they ran out of time. I was so bummed they just changed the colours of the cut scenes at the end. I don’t know if changing the ending now will even mean anything to me. Feels like the moment has come and gone.

      Reply
   2. 

      Joshy206

      March 21, 2012 at 10:13 pm

      It’s not the ending we want, it’s the ending we deserve.

      Reply
      1. 

         Kizaru

         March 22, 2012 at 1:51 am

         Well that’s the nature of art; that not everyone will like how they ended it. The point is that rather than try to understand why it ended the way it did, or feeling disappointed and moving on, people go that extra mile to sue the devs or make threats if the ending isn’t changed. It’s really sad.

         Let’s also not forget that if they cave in, the fans may STILL hate the new ending, so Bioware are taking another risk without much return. If the fans like the new ending, it doesn’t mean they’ll forget that they got screwed the next time something like this happens again. If the ending really is that bad (Haven’t played it yet), they should just learn what they can from it and do better next time around.

         Reply
      2. 

         magnetite

         February 23, 2013 at 7:22 am

         Oh, the ending you deserve, huh? You sound like a whiny entitled kid. It’s one thing to say “I think they should change it”. It’s another thing to demand that they change it, or modify their game to suit something you think the game deserves. Even though it wasn’t advertised.

         Maybe when you move out of your parent’s basement you’ll figure out the real world works. Life isn’t fair. Bioware can end their game how they like it. If you don’t like it, tough luck.

         Not everything in life works out exactly as planned. Maybe when you’re a little older you’ll understand that. Until then, suck it up princess.

         Reply
   3. 

      David

      March 22, 2012 at 1:31 am

      Rowling initially intended to kill Harry, for good, and the last book ended at the battle for Hogwarts. The publishers insisted she write the epilogue. She intended to kill Ron Weasley as well, but changed her mind due to feedback.

      So the analogy is a miserably failure if you know much about how the writing process for Rowling’s final book went.

      Reply
      1. 

         Matchstick

         May 2, 2012 at 3:25 pm

         Big difference between draft feedback (like beta testing in video games) and post-publication alterations resulting in the publishing of two different versions of the same product. It’s a fitting analogy.

         Reply
   4. 

      David

      March 22, 2012 at 1:32 am

      Rowling initially intended to kill Harry, for good, and the last book ended at the battle for Hogwarts. The publishers insisted she write the epilogue. She intended to kill Ron Weasley as well, but changed her mind due to feedback.

      So the analogy is a miserable failure if you know much about how the writing process for Rowling’s final book went.

      Reply
   5. 

      Gil

      April 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm

      J.K. Rowling wanted Harry to die at the end of the books. She never said that hundreds of thousands of letters changed her mind, but…

      Reply
2. 

   Pixel the Ferret Viking

   March 21, 2012 at 2:09 pm

   it is a sad day indeed when the entitlement people feel towards something that strongly that it encourages an uproar like it has.

   it is what it is, deal with it…. simple as that… Bioware decided to go this way with the game, don’t like? Don’t play it…

   honestly i find the sense of entitlement people feel with “ZOMG THAT WAS TERRIBAD CHANGE IT NOOOOW” is childish and disgusting, makes me sad to be a gamer… instead of enjoying a game for what it is, they decide to lynch people and tell them this is how it should be… well here’s an idea, when you have the man power, budget and creative skill to create something like this, you do it! don’t tell other people what to do.

   /rant

   and now… coffee!

   Reply
   1. 

      DogMan

      March 21, 2012 at 2:28 pm

      It’s not entitlement it’s passion. I’m passionate about Star Wars. This means my feelings towards the end of Return of the Jedi are way stronger than they would be if I didn’t freakin’ love Star Wars.

      Reply
      1. 

         Pixel the Ferret Viking

         March 21, 2012 at 2:36 pm

         while this is true, and i understand if people are upset by design choices,
         i’m the same, i am a Star Wars fan, and loathe George Lucas for what he is doing,
         but what i am getting at isn’t that people aren’t allowed to be disappointed, it’s the childish reaction it has sparked.

         to stay with the starwars analogy, i don’t like the new generation of Star Wars movies, i LOOOOAAATHE Hayden Christensen etc.etc. the only redeeming feature is you get to see him burn at the end of Episode 3, but i still enjoy the original movies in the original format.
         and guess what? i just won’t watch the new ones… i still have my original love for Star Wars, i am not going to go into stitches about what he has done, because i will just ignore it.
         This doesn’t mean i’m not passionate about it, just means that i am mature enough to realise that this has happened, it’s not going to change, so why bother wasting energy on what could have been?
         sure it’s disappointing, but the world keeps spinning, and maybe, just maaaybe next time will be better? you never know

         Reply
         1. 

            DogMan

            March 21, 2012 at 3:04 pm

            Sorry, I actually agree with all that. It’s BioWare’s game and, as disappointing as it would be, they’re free to end the story any way they want. I don’t have to like it, and I’d consider them massive jerks if they made the whole thing just a dream, but like you say, it’s their story so it’s their call (and frankly, if you’ve ever read fan fiction you’ll understand why a professional bad ending is usually still better than a fan ending. I’m looking at you Melllvar).

            I just don’t like the way entitlement has been thrown around lately. If I want anything at all the internet is ready to jump in and call me a jerk for it. I want an Ewok free ending to Return of the Jedi. I might even go as far as to say that fans deserved an Ewok free ending, but “entitlement” has such a harsh, selfish tone to it that I don’t think applies to passionate fans (at least not all passionate fans).
            Someone could argue that the word is technically correct but I think it goes against the spirit of it.

            Reply
            1. 

               Bryce

               March 21, 2012 at 3:13 pm

               You would like an ewok free ending.

               You think the fans deserve an ewok free ending.

               You don’t demand an ewok free ending.

               Its the last point, in my eyes, that gives credit to use of the word ‘Entitlement’.

            2. 

               Pixel the Ferret Viking

               March 21, 2012 at 3:17 pm

               pretty much this,

               i realise that “Entitlement” may have been a strong word to use, and i apologies if i offended in any way,
               i feel that a lot of people feel like i do, and i may just be a grump today 😛
               my overall goal was just to air my frustration with the way some people is handling their disappointment with the way the series turned out.

            3. 

               Bryce

               March 21, 2012 at 3:25 pm

               Its quite a fine line.

               faceless groups cross it more then the individual does, but its the individual that makes up the faceless group.

            4. 

               Pixel the Ferret Viking

               March 21, 2012 at 3:30 pm

               that’s deep man… also, had to read that 3 or 4 times, i really need that coffee i spoke off earlier 😛

            5. 

               bobsamirh

               March 21, 2012 at 3:45 pm

               I feel that people are entitled to what they were promised, seriously look at all the quotes that the developers, writers, etc said about the game before it came out and then look at what actually happened, 16 different endings? no ABC choice ending? They pretty much went against everything they said wouldn’t happen, so I think it’s fair enough people are pissed off (this on top of the fact the ending makes no sense). I don’t really think they’re handling it in a bad way either, raising $70,000 for charity? yer what a bunch of entitled plebs, guess they’re much worse for gaming then all the people who buy $15 map packs.

            6. 

               Joshy206

               March 21, 2012 at 10:21 pm

               I donate to charity to donate to charity, not to get a new ending to a video-game. Also, I’d venture to say there’s a large overlap between map pack purchasers and those donators.

               Bioware’s quotes were somewhat misleading, but they weren’t lying. The final ten or so minutes may be the same as everyone else’s, but the outcome will be completely different based on decisions made, for instance, in Priority: Tuchanka.

               Plot holes is where the ending fails, but nobody is saying otherwise.

            7. 

               bobsmity

               March 22, 2012 at 2:37 am

               What I was saying is that the protest by the fans is hardly destructive, the fact that they’re donating because of this is irrelevant, they’re still donating. Most people already do donate to charity so finding another reason to donate doesn’t seem bad to me.

               Saying there are different endings because people made different decisions is probably the biggest cop out I’ve ever heard. By that logic you could say the game has hundreds of endings because whatever, we can just make up our own ending in our head because this may or may not have happened because of something done in the game.

               “There are many different endings. We wouldn’t do it any other way. How
               could you go through all three campaigns playing as your Shepard and
               then be forced into a bespoke ending that everyone gets? But I can’t
               say any more than that…”

               Interview with Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)

   2. 

      That Teemo

      March 21, 2012 at 2:29 pm

      Here is the thing. People did enjoy the game, it was a ride worth taking and it was a well crafted one to add. However, Bioware built up our expectations with regards to the ending being all about our choices and not being a simple, A B C style ending. When in fact it was, with one of the choices making no sense all together.

      We were sold something that turned out to be completely different.

      Reply
      1. 

         Pixel the Ferret Viking

         March 21, 2012 at 2:39 pm

         i have not completed this game yet, and i’m not saying it will not be disappointing, what i’m having a go at is peoples reactions, because to be honest, it reminds me of kindergarten.
         it’s good people enjoyed the game, and obviously has a loyal following, but as i said above, it is what it is, if you didn’t like it, yell a little bit into a cushion and move on.

         Reply
         1. 

            That Teemo

            March 21, 2012 at 2:54 pm

            The reactions are over the top, I agree. But really, it’s not simply a “Gamer” thing. People overact about things that others see as insignificant. The difference here is a lot of gamers are voting with their wallets (Amazon & Origin offering refunds) and getting noticed.

            Reply
            1. 

               Pixel the Ferret Viking

               March 21, 2012 at 3:05 pm

               unfortunately this is very true,
               i just think it often comes across a lot harsher online because it’s hard to read tone, and people tend to be d!cks online because they’re “anonymous” and i guess that’s what really irks me.
               it’s more the maturity level of the reactions then anything i find shocking

         2. 

            Don Danbury

            March 21, 2012 at 3:47 pm

            If you havn’t finished the game, I’m sorry but you have pretty much zero credibility to argue on this issue, come back when you’ve finished.

            Reply
            1. 

               StuMan

               March 21, 2012 at 9:57 pm

               I’ve finished the game and I 100% agree with Pixel.

            2. 

               Pixel The Ferret Viking

               March 21, 2012 at 10:10 pm

               ^^this guy managed to prove the point, thanks Don, ’nuff said

            3. 

               Joshy206

               March 21, 2012 at 10:23 pm

               I disagree. In my opinion, the game could end with a black screen saying “A WINRAR IS YUO”, before showing Shepard from ME1 getting eaten alive by Saren in a cartoon, and STILL this uproar would be unjustified.

      2. 

         E

         March 21, 2012 at 3:24 pm

         I have to say that when the similar A-B-C ending was a part of Deus Ex, I felt much more disappointed than when it occurred in Mass Effect.

         A lot of what happened and the choices made in Deus Ex felt to have much less of an impact and almost felt like easter eggs in the overall scheme of things whereas in Mass Effect I was much more heavily invested in the choice I was making because the decisions I had made up until then supported my final decision.

         Admittedly in both games, the choice I did end up making initially for Deus Ex was the decision I would have made as a character/personal avatar anyway but the decision felt much more arbitrary since the conversations throughout the game still left your character a cypher without consequence but the need to “win” certain conversations. Mass Effect had at least a metric to at least give a sense of consequence so it would have felt odd to have made a different decision.

         Ultimately when the final decision was to be made, the emotional investment I had in my Shepherd and my Mass Effect world, to make any other choice would have been a betrayal to what I had built so those options weren’t really options at all.

         Reply
   3. 

      David

      March 22, 2012 at 1:38 am

      The entitlement argument is weak and has always been weak. People have sunk in around 200 dollars into this franchise in some cases (assuming they bought all DLCs collector’s editions and such, not including merchandise which many people have bought).

      Furthermore, Fallout 3: Broken Steel exists.

      It exists because the fans hated the ending, and it vastly improved the game experience as a whole and stopped things being ugly.

      The game makers always take more than they give in cases like this. They want to hype their games up knowing full well that they aren’t delivering what they promise (look at the promotion quotes about ME 3 and play the game for proof), and then when the fans get angry they want to just shrug and call them whiny children.

      Videogames aren’t movies and they aren’t books. They’re new, and the relationship between creator and consumer is different, and people need to bear that in mind. What’s happening here is not a bad thing. Bioware don’t have to change anything, they can just ADD things. You can’t do that for books and movies. But because it’s a videogame, Bioware can add additional content to please more people.

      That’s very unique, and it saddens ME as a gamer that so few gamers have any vision about the medium we enjoy or the ability to see it as the unique artistic medium it is.

      Reply
   4. 

      Invid

      March 22, 2012 at 9:36 am

      +1
      Exactly how I feel on the matter, they told the story they wanted to tell (I haven’t finished yet been too busy but I look forward to seeing the ending the writers gave us, whatever it is)

      Reply
3. 

   Kharaide

   March 21, 2012 at 2:10 pm

   Guess he didnt see ‘the final hours’ app 🙂 A question mark is not art, unless your the art attack guy..

   Reply
   1. 

      Tracey Lien

      March 21, 2012 at 2:16 pm

      The Art Attack Guy is art.

      Reply
      1. 

         Kharaide

         March 21, 2012 at 2:20 pm

         Yes i realise art attack is art i thought was, exactly what i said…..

         Reply
      2. 

         Ahtaps

         March 21, 2012 at 7:59 pm

         Oh man, I used to watch Art Attack all the time and marvel at what that guy could do.

         Too-ra!

         Reply
   2. 

      Icinix

      March 21, 2012 at 2:20 pm

      ..my favourite part of that show was when he cut giant cardboard with scissors. I loved that sound.

      Reply
4. 

   Jordaan Mylonas

   March 21, 2012 at 2:17 pm

   Words cannot express how disappointed I was with the last HP book.

   Reply
5. 

   Kharaide

   March 21, 2012 at 2:17 pm

   Maybe he should actually watch the ending before he gets sad? If an artist makes shit art.. We shouldnt say its shit??? So when a game is advertised as something and you get the opposite, we shouldnt be pissed? Plz actually look at the facts before you call it Artistic.
   its actually called false advertisment 😉

   Reply
   1. 

      Morkai

      March 21, 2012 at 3:17 pm

      I don’t think anyone is saying don’t get pissed, or don’t tell them it’s shit, they’re saying don’t go demanding refunds, or demanding that the game/movie/artwork/book be rewritten to your standards just because you don’t like how the author/designer/developer made it.

      Reply
      1. 

         Richard

         March 21, 2012 at 3:42 pm

         Exactly. Saying you didn’t like the ending is one thing, in fact it’s great if you can calmly articulate why you felt it’s bad. Demanding it be changed is a whole different story. As another poster said, that’s when you cross the line from passion to entitlement.

         Personally I agree with Ken Levine. There are parts of the ending that I don’t like, but even if I outright hated it I still would have to respect BioWare for having the guts to make an ending with the kind of tone that they did. We should be praising them for that alone (never mind the rest of the game which was excellent), we shouldn’t be trying to beat them into submission.

         Reply
         1. 

            David

            March 22, 2012 at 1:43 am

            A great many people who hate the ending would be fine with Shepherd dying. The issue is choice. Asking for more endings – which Bioware promised in black and white – is not entitlement, it’s asking for what Bioware promised to deliver months in advance.

            They promised anything up to 16 different, wildly varied endings, Casey Hudson said that this would not be your typical choose A, B, or C ending.

            And now you’re saying people are entitled for demanding that Bioware provide the exact thing they promised to deliver. Doesn’t that strike you as a bit odd?

            Reply
6. 

   Icinix

   March 21, 2012 at 2:18 pm

   It is a touchy subject – but at the very least – the ending has technical glitches, it appears to be somewhat rushed, and goes against the logic and lore of the series.

   It has the distinct feeling of being a rushed consumer product first, not that of art loving crafted by the developers.

   BioShock was quite an artistic game with some deep themes – it didn’t ignore those in the last few minutes and make a ham sandwhich thrown at the player at the end. – the game doesn’t need a new ending – it does however need further explanation to clarify some logic and lore changes – the ending of Harry Potter made sense, the ending of BioShock made sense, the ending of Star Wars made sense. The ending of ME3 doesnot..
   If they choose to leave it as it is – so be it. But it will leave a damaging mark that many players will remember.

   Reply
7. 

   Bryce

   March 21, 2012 at 2:26 pm

   Man, people thought Mass effects ending was shakey? Did you guys fight a giant gold Fontaine at the end of Bioshock like I did and get a thirty second cut scene? You wanna talk about disappointing…

   Entitlement issues are why I can’t call myself a ‘gamer’. The ending was fine. Not the ending I expected, but it was their story and I was just along for the ride. I hope they learn from their mistakes.

   Reply
   1. 

      El Kapitan

      March 22, 2012 at 10:35 am

      Oh damn it, I’m almost at the end of the game. You suck, Bryce. 🙁

      Reply
8. 

   weaselfeet

   March 21, 2012 at 2:29 pm

   IMO, the damage has been done though. Sure some people complained about plot holes in the ending but the majority seemed to be after a ‘rainbows and unicorns’ ending. There will be dev studios (or more likely publishers) that, having taken notice, will will push for a Disney ending to future projects and we’ll be all the poorer for it.
   Maybe this is another consequence of the main-streaming of gaming; a huge core community raised on “… and everyone lived happily ever after.”.

   Reply
   1. 

      Tooshay

      March 21, 2012 at 2:42 pm

      Really? My experience has been the opposite. Complaints are not that the ending wasn’t a happy ending (apologies for the double negative) but that the ending made no sense in the lore of the game world and the philosophy behind the entire game (‘”your choices matter!”).

      Reply
9. 

   Ryhawk

   March 21, 2012 at 2:33 pm

   Incinix. Thank you. You have put into words what I have been trying to write for the last 5 mintues. People have to see past the “I didn’t like it” Fan boys and realise all they are saying is that “It didn’t make sense”. Honestly my gut feeling was that even though it was in the script that was leaked, it was quite a rushed ending and not fully finished.. Unfortunately that normally points to the distibuter pushing for it to be done. *wave* EA

   Reply
10. 

    Gog

    March 21, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    Way to go and make Ken sad everyone. It’s ok Ken, I liked the ending.

    Reply
11. 

    Azza

    March 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    I don’t care how much money and/or time you have invested into Mass Effect. Getting all emotional about it to the extent I have seen shows you lack perspective. and need to grow up.

    It’s a video game, find something actually worth your time and energy.

    Reply
    1. 

       Pixel the Ferret Viking

       March 21, 2012 at 2:43 pm

       People like you is why i still have faith in humanity.

       there’s a reason why Gamers are viewed as immature, and as much as i am a gamer, i get a nervous twitch each time i see the overall stereotype because it is unfortunately very true.

       pretty sure there are more important things in life to spend your time on, then an ending you didn’t agree to.

       Reply
       1. 

          Icinix

          March 21, 2012 at 2:53 pm

          I would argue that the reason gamers are viewed as immature is because no-one has ever taken gaming serious and as an adult entertainment and form of art – instead crying “Its just a game” whenever people do try to bring up issues BECAUSE it failed to remain logical, sensical and mature.

          If the gaming industry never gets challenged when it makes a mistake – it will in my view ALWAYS be viewed as just a diversion for young people.

          Art is subject to sometimes ruthless opinion and challenge and yet it is declared mature and adult – maybe the only way for gaming to become mature is to be subject to ruthless opinion and challenge rather than dismissed by the wayside as being “just a game.”

          Reply
          1. 

             Tooshay

             March 21, 2012 at 2:57 pm

             I also agree with this. I mean with this snugglestorm of anger over this ME3 ending, future bioware games will probably have an ending worthy of the game preceding it. Maybe other companies will take notice and work a little harder on writing mature, complete and logical stories.

             Reply
          2. 

             Pixel the Ferret Viking

             March 21, 2012 at 3:01 pm

             i agree with this sentiment, but i think what divides it is that people tend to be more rude and ruthless because it’s online, and as such it’s not going to have ramifications, and they can say what they want…
             just yanks my chain that’s all.
             i may just be grumpy today, but people who “demand” stuff because they can, is just a type of entitlement i can never fully understand.
             i’m all for challenging industries, but throwing virtual tantrums about it is not the way to go IMHO

             Reply
             1. 

                Icinix

                March 21, 2012 at 3:13 pm

                Oh definitely.
                There is a lot of vitriol from a lot of people on the internet from both sides of the fence – and everytime someone says something with as much aggression as some of what has been said – it harms both sides just as much.
                Everyday I look in forums / sites commentaries is a battle to not just slam my head into my keboard at some of what people say.
                There is no reason why discussion and commentary can’t go ahead in a diplomatic fashion – but then again thats been the issue with human nature since the dawn of time I guess.

             2. 

                Pixel the Ferret Viking

                March 21, 2012 at 3:22 pm

                oh god… PEOPLE, WHAT ARE WE DOING… we’re having a rational discussion on the internetz! this cannot stand…

                TITS..

                there, that’s better.

                seriously though, you’re completely right, and i feel a bit uplifted that people have been able to convey their feelings towards this issue, in this thread without name calling.

                thank you for proving there still are intelligent people in the internet!
                it’s okay that everyone has an opinion, i may not agree to it, but i respect when someone can debate it in a civilized tone

             3. 

                Tooshay

                March 21, 2012 at 6:00 pm

                Take back the internet! One reasoned, calm debate at a time! 😛

                (I can dream)

             4. 

                dotcombaby

                March 21, 2012 at 3:58 pm

                “people who “demand” stuff because they can”? what’s this supposed to mean? People are saying the ending was terrible and they want a new one, they can’t physically make Bioware make a new ending and no one even knows if they will. It’s simply consumers exercising their rights to get a product they were promised. I’m not sure why people are leaping to the defense of massive corporations, they don’t need your help.

    2. 

       Tooshay

       March 21, 2012 at 2:50 pm

       Gamers might need to grow up, but games have grown up. Mass Effect was the first series for me (and I suspect many others) where a real emotional connection was formed with the characters in the game (something which only books had managed for me before). Getting emotional because you feel like that connection hasn’t been addressed seems fair enough to me. Complaining to the developers in a medium where not only the product but the development of the product is interactive also seems fair enough.

       Reply
       1. 

          Azza

          March 21, 2012 at 3:35 pm

          Okay, this is why I put in the caveat “…to the extent I have seen”.

          Complaining to the developers that you feel disappointed about the ending of a video game is fair enough.

          I am seeing how people are getting angry and/or depressed from this ending. These are extreme reactions and are not good for anybody. Demanding that the creators change the ending is not fair enough. Spamming every comment thread and game forum that has anything to do with ME is not fair enough. This over-the-top complaining has obviously tainted peoples outlooks to the ending that had not finished the game. I think it is a reasonable assumption that Bioware thought that the people that played this would really enjoy this ending – even throughout the game there are plenty of FMVs that put would put most other games endings to shame. Do you really think that the endings were made with specific ill-intent? Up to this point there has been no indication from Bioware that they have a secret vendetta against the general population. I can see it now…

          Casey Hudson: MWAHAHA! First, I am going to build a huge detailed and engrossing universe. Then I am going to draw people into it with an interesting story line, charismatic characters, different options in how to approach situations. And then, at the end of the THIRD game, I am going to throw in a twist that nobody will see coming and will be highly unsatisfied with…. JUST TO F**K WITH THEM! I know I could just as easily create some typical endings where the universe is all saved and everyone is happy and has a party – and I could probably just as easily sell DLC afterwards. But this way I can have thousands of people angry at me that are then going to vow to boycott all of my future games! HOORAY!

          Look, you need to face something: Bioware made this ending consciously (it was not a mistake) and they thought that this is a good way to finish the series. They are not trying to shit on you, they are not trying to fuck you up the ass (some of the conclusions I have seen from a lot of other people) – they actually thought this ending would be well received. Of course you can disagree with them, but the second you can acknowledge that Bioware does have a different point of view and might have reasons that are not malevolent to lead them to this conclusion, you can move on from these extreme emotional reactions and you just might be able to be taken seriously.

          Reply
          1. 

             Tooshay

             March 21, 2012 at 5:58 pm

             Unfortunately we live in a world where volume of complaints is given more thought than the quality of complaints.
             The nature of these complaints are leaving something to be desired, I don’t agree with the bile and hatred people seem to be spewing at bioware. I don’t see any malice in bioware’s (which is still probably one of my top 2 game developers) decision to go with the ending they did, and whats more their response to the anger is something to be proud of.
             However I believe I still have the right to complain (rationally, without hate) about the ending. If bioware decides that maybe the ending didnt work for some of their fans and they release other endings as paid-dlc (PAID not free, DLC takes work and should be paid for) that would be awesome, and my opinion okay and not a malicious, sneaky cash grab.

             Reply
             1. 

                Azza

                March 21, 2012 at 6:02 pm

                I think you just explained what I was trying to get at in less than half the time, lol

    3. 

       David

       March 22, 2012 at 1:53 am

       Funny, I have the same response when people get upset over books, movies and the theatre. Or sport. Or when they have relationship difficulties.

       Okay that last one was a lie. My point is that people care about what they care about. Imagine somebody who collects bottlecaps. It’s a hobby. He cares about it. He spends time, money and effort on his bottlecap collection. How do you think he will feel if one of his favourite bottlecaps is crushed by somebody? Upset, perchance? Is the response to say ‘it’s just a bottlecap, find something actually worth your time and energy’?

       I think that the ability of people to care about random stuff is one of our most endearing qualities. But when something inspires emotion, of course we care about it. If you act in a way intended to inspire emotional connection, if you actively feed off and fan it to a height, you can’t profit from it and then go in a huff when it blows up in your face. There is a huge entitlement on game developers these days (yes I mean this) where they act like they are OWED the adoration of the gaming public, and it doesn’t matter what they say, they can outright lie in the hype of their games and when people are disappointed, well that doesn’t matter because it’s only games, right?

       The industry’s changing, in part because it’s not kids anymore. The average gamer age is mid twenties going thirties now, and that’s a sector of the public who get very very angry for a sustained period if they feel they’ve been genuinely slighted. Which is what’s happened here.

       ME 3’s ending was lazy, and it was a lazy ending after they promised the exact opposite less than a week before release. People are not so stupid that they can’t tell when someone is – at best – overhyping something with foreknowledge that they aren’t delivering what they claim.

       The thing is: up to now, people have believed Bioware don’t do that. They’re one of ‘the good guys’ who care about their fans. If you consider that Bioware have spent years building up customer loyalty and have parlayed it into enormous success, it’s not a surprise that this has blown up in their faces.

       Reply
12. 

    Reece

    March 21, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Do people not remember the Borderlands ending. That ending makes mass effect look like an hour cut scene of epicness.

    No one threw that into the ground though…

    Reply
    1. 

       Tooshay

       March 21, 2012 at 2:47 pm

       Borderlands was not a 3 game series, “gaming’s first true epic” or even a story based rpg/shooter. This comparison does not make sense to me.

       Reply
       1. 

          Rize

          March 21, 2012 at 3:24 pm

          Aah, Touc…

          …oh, I see what you did there.

          Reply
13. 

    shane

    March 21, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    Agh. You can not like an ending, but you definitely dont “deserve” the ending you think you want. Go and make your own game if that’s the case. Gamers are really spoily and deserving.

    Reply
14. 

    One_Man_Matrix

    March 21, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    It has nothing to do with gamers, this kind of uproar would happen in any media form… Bodge the ending to the fourth Twilight and watch the angry mobs roaming the streets with fire sticks and pitchforks…

    Reply
    1. 

       Toasty Fresh

       March 21, 2012 at 5:33 pm

       Absolutely. If Harry Potter had ended just after Harry kills Voldemort, then you’d be seeing much the same reaction. That’s essentially the same kind of thing BW did with ME3.

       Reply
15. 

    Rize

    March 21, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    ‘Scuse me while I go buy 47 copies of various Bioshocks.

    Reply
16. 

    Vellan

    March 21, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    I am disappointed to see more biased reporting on this issue. I’m not sure what Kotaku’s agenda is in trying to tell (disappointed) ME3 fans that they are wrong to feel hurt and deceived by the inconsistent ending that BioWare delivered.

    How about some balanced reporting on questions like “leaving aside the question of changing the ending, was BioWare’s ending objectively good enough” or “because some fans ignore plot holes, does that absolve BioWare of the responsibility to deliver a logically consistent ending”? Or even “to what degree can players take ownership of their input in an interactive medium”?

    Yet another article to the tune of “ME3’s ending was fine, quit your bitching” doesn’t do a whole lot for Kotaku’s journalistic integrity.

    Reply
    1. 

       Rize

       March 21, 2012 at 3:16 pm

       This article is someone’s opinion, as reported by Kotaku, just like the reader review of ME3. Might be worthwhile mentioning that the reader review wasn’t too impressed by a number of things, including the ending…

       Reply
17. 

    Glib

    March 21, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    To be fair.. the epilogue of Harry Potter sucked aswell. I always skip that bit.

    Reply
18. 

    Glenn

    March 21, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    It actually reminds me of the whole debacle of the Lost and Battlestar Galactica endings… I think people just want to hate an ending if it doens’t live up to their grand expectations given years of buildup… yet in the end, Lost, BSG and Mass Effect will always be popular, not to mention successful franchises.

    Reply
    1. 

       Pixel the Ferret Viking

       March 21, 2012 at 3:28 pm

       as much as i like awesome endings blah blah blah,
       the way i see it is that if i enjoyed the ride there, it doesn’t matter how it end, i will keep coming back for more of that “in the middle” stuff, because That is what the game is,
       a conclusion can be disappointing but it would never ruin a game for me, because it’s the awesome moments within the game that makes it.
       i understand other people feeling differently but that’s my opinion

       Reply
       1. 

          TrimmTrunck

          March 21, 2012 at 4:02 pm

          Obviously you’re not a big fan of books, or movies or stories in general then.

          Reply
          1. 

             Pixel The Ferret Viking

             March 21, 2012 at 10:06 pm

             yes because me stating that i like the journey towards the ending, and a crap ending will not ruin that for me clearly indicates my likeness of other media, just as that comment from you clearly states that you REALLY hate spinach

             Reply
19. 

    Kharaide

    March 21, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    Support characters abandoning the main character now thats ART Or a retarded plot point 😉

    Reply
20. 

    Truthteller

    March 21, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    “Bioshock Creator Says The Anger Over Mass Effect 3′s Ending Makes Him Sad ” oh dear..let the “anal raping” trolling begin.

    Reply
21. 

    Simmo

    March 21, 2012 at 3:38 pm

    If computer games are art perhaps developers should start treating them as such. Stop cutting out parts of your art and selling it to us extra. Stop telling us that what we’ve got is the complete experience and is fully what the developer’s intended than tell us in the closing credits that there is more awaiting in the DLC.

    If developers want to fall back on the art excuse then they and publishers need to start treating their games more like art and less like a commodity. In fact with the increased presence of DLC and consumers not actually owning the content on the disc they paid for videogames are more of a service and as customers if we are disspointed with a service we paid for we have a right to demand that it be fixed or our money back.

    I’m all for games being called art but don’t try and squeeze every single dollar you can out of me then tell me I can’t complain because it is art.

    Reply
22. 

    OsirisFox

    March 21, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    One can’t unsee what has already been seen, and actually the ending did fit I think. Yes it was a bit out there and sudden, but how is it any less believable than super intelligent star ships that are on a mission to destroy the universe. To the people who say there was no lore regarding the “ending”, well clearly you missed the part where Shepperd learns he is the first organic to reach said place. In other words he was making history, not repeating it, and thus it had never been recorded before.

    Finally, only one dimensional people can’t see the bigger picture and what the producers meant by multiple endings. The “ending” is not made up of only the that final ending sequence. How about the ending of an entire civilization, or not, certain diseases that were cured, or not, and characters that died along the way. These all form part of “the ending.”

    In closing: The ending is the actually the sum of all the story arcs within the game. Not just the final closing sequence.

    Reply
23. 

    Steve

    March 21, 2012 at 5:35 pm

    I personally hated the me3 ending and understand why people are pissed but I’ll live with it in the same way I lived with the star wars prequels, Indy 4, godfather 3, Alien 3 onward… just pretend they don’t exist. But this whole ‘bitch about the bitchers’ is equally bad. It’s great fans are passionate and have every right to be pissed.

    Bioware built a great story over 3 games and several years getting players to care then completely shit the bed with an uncharacteristically bad, pre-determined ending completely opposed to the choose-your-own adventure of previous installments.

    Reply
24. 

    js

    March 21, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    They absolutely cannot change the ending, despite how fucking bizarre and pointless it was.

    I love this series, but I’ll live with the unsatisfying conclusion.

    Reply
25. 

    Ghost

    March 21, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    The ending to Stephen Kings ‘The Dark Tower’ series is another example of people having a hissy fit about the ending of something. And ‘Lost’ is another as well – although that really did blow (in fact just about everything after season 4 seemed like a bit of a disapointment). Anywayz more to the point, its the developers/writers story to tell, just because a group of people don’t like the way they want to tell THEIR story doesn’t mean they have the write to demand it be changed. If it really bothers you that much, go write your own stories that end with people walking off into the sunset living happily ever after if that is what your after.

    Reply
26. 

    m0sh

    March 21, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    I think the fan reaction is a perfect example of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance…

    I hated the hell out of the endings, but I can take it or leave it – it’s foolish to invest too much of your heart and soul in anything these days.
    /cynical.

    Reply
    1. 

       Kharaide

       March 21, 2012 at 10:17 pm

       Lol no one is accepting it.. Bioware will reap what they sow. Cant F$&k with your customers this badly and expect repeat business

       Reply
       1. 

          m0sh

          March 22, 2012 at 12:58 am

          I should have specified – they are in the bargaining phase now, which I think is slowly transitioning into depression. Acceptance will come when they are folding up their N7 hoodies and putting them in a box under the bed.

          Reply
27. 

    9000

    March 21, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Look, I thought all the crap about the endings was just a bunch of basement nerds who were butthurt about not getting to have a happy unicorn ride home with Tali.

    And then I finished it.

    And then I was confused, at first because I walked up the wrong ramp and the game wouldn’t let me walk back down. And then by how when I picked the other extreme –it was asically the exact same ending.

    It is awful. Insultingly terrible. I apologize for writing the first complainers off.

    Now — pixel, and I say this with love in my heart — you need to shut your stupid face up until you finish the game. Again, nothing but love here, you just have no idea. It’s just an inconsistent and disturbingly senseless mess.

    If this was a case of people not liking a sad ending, it would be something else. It’s not. It’d be like at the end of red dead redemption Jesus Christ showed up and gave John magical powers. Just shut up and come back when you’re done. I’ll be waiting.

    If this was some magnum opus creative effort, I’d be so behind it. That’s not what happened. They ran out of time, they had lost their head writer, and the original gameplay mechanic they wanted to use didn’t work. They tossed out the planned final boss and rewrote the ending at the last second last November. Different author. And ea made them ship it on schedule. Source: as reported in “the final hours of mass effect 3”

    Reply
28. 

    AerintheADEQUATE

    March 22, 2012 at 12:24 am

    So everyone is still dismissing any and all criticism as being “Moronic trolls who want a happy ending”, eh?

    I don’t expect Bioware to change the ending(s). I do, however, recognize that they are poorly constructed and do not fit the structure/context of the narrative as they had presented it up until that point.

    This should not be a discussion about art or artistic integrity. *emphasis on this line, folks*

    This should be a discussion about Basic Storytelling 101.

    Reply
    1. 

       rab

       March 22, 2012 at 2:03 am

       This. A thousand times this. The reason people are so upset is because the ending is so abysmally terrible.

       Reply
29. 

    rab

    March 22, 2012 at 1:59 am

    So funny…people become passionate about something (and raise several thousand dollars in charity in the throes of their impassioned stance) and here they come: the high-minded, superior folk among us who’ve evolved from their nerd beginnings and love to talk about how mature they are, how immature others are, and those who disagree with them can’t have good arguments but are probably just simpletons who live in their parents’ basement eating stale pizza. And these guys are the ones criticizing others for acting like little kids. Unbelievable.

    Reply
30. 

    Elethiem

    March 22, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Can we admit that there is such a thing as a bad story? Defending an authors right to tell the story they want is one thing, but defending a bad story is another. I can see someone trying to defend Peter Chimera’s Doom:Repercussions of Evil (one of the worst fanfiction stories ever) as them telling a story, but that doesn’t automatically make it a good story. Instead of defending Bioware’s right to tell a story, perhaps general opinions of if it is a good story or a bad story would be more interesting and less sanctimonious.

    Bioware put out a game, I bought it and played it to the end and had fun, but I hated the ending. Game journalists and bloggers can tell me day and night that Bioware has the right to write whatever ending they want to, but that doesn’t change my opinion. If I didn’t enjoy it, I didn’t enjoy it and thats a personal reaction for me. Bioware can do whatever they want but I won’t be playing the game again and I’ve already moved on to the next game.

    Reply