Bioware Promises "Clarification" For Mass Effect 3 Ending Coming Soon

[DoctorFinger]

Time to start up the controversy train again! Today Bioware founder Ray Muzyka took to the company's blog to elaborate on their response to the controversy over the ending to Mass Effect 3. Muzyka's full statement can be viewed by clicking the 'more' button, but here's the key section.

The Mass Effect team, like other teams across the BioWare Label within EA, consists of passionate people who work hard for the love of creating experiences that excite and delight our fans. I’m honored to work with them because they have the courage and strength to respond to constructive feedback.

Building on their research, Exec Producer Casey Hudson and the team are hard at work on a number of game content initiatives that will help answer the questions, providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey. You’ll hear more on this in April. We’re working hard to maintain the right balance between the artistic integrity of the original story while addressing the fan feedback we’ve received. This is in addition to our existing plan to continue providing new Mass Effect content and new full games, so rest assured that your journey in the Mass Effect universe can, and will, continue.

Muzyka never actually says they're changing the ending, but many people seem to think that's implied in the statement.

The response to this has, so far been interesting. People complaining that the "real" ending will be sold as DLC. Others complaining that Bioware "caved" to the complainers. Still others arguing that changing the ending is artistically bankrupt. And that's just the tip of the discussion. Really it's a fascinating look at the nature of artistic ownership. Of course Bioware owns Mass Effect, but at the same time they also want to keep the goodwill of customers, and that means at least some pandering to popular whim. It's a discussion that's been swirling since we all first heard the term 'Midichlorian', but it's really come to a head here. Frankly I think the controversy is fascinating, but I'm strange.

What to I think? I felt the ending wasn't quite what I wanted, but didn't hate it (and lets keep this thread spoiler-free for those who haven't beaten it yet). I didn't find it that unclear, just a bit lackluster. But I don't really think a different ending would be any better. You can't put the genie back in the bottle as they say.

Here's Muzyka's letter in full.

To Mass Effect 3 players, from Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare

As co-founder and GM of BioWare, I’m very proud of the ME3 team; I personally believe Mass Effect 3 is the best work we’ve yet created. So, it’s incredibly painful to receive feedback from our core fans that the game’s endings were not up to their expectations. Our first instinct is to defend our work and point to the high ratings offered by critics – but out of respect to our fans, we need to accept the criticism and feedback with humility.

I believe passionately that games are an art form, and that the power of our medium flows from our audience, who are deeply involved in how the story unfolds, and who have the uncontested right to provide constructive criticism. At the same time, I also believe in and support the artistic choices made by the development team. The team and I have been thinking hard about how to best address the comments on ME3’s endings from players, while still maintaining the artistic integrity of the game.

Mass Effect 3 concludes a trilogy with so much player control and ownership of the story that it was hard for us to predict the range of emotions players would feel when they finished playing through it. The journey you undertake in Mass Effect provokes an intense range of highly personal emotions in the player; even so, the passionate reaction of some of our most loyal players to the current endings in Mass Effect 3 is something that has genuinely surprised us. This is an issue we care about deeply, and we will respond to it in a fair and timely way. We’re already working hard to do that.

To that end, since the game launched, the team has been poring over everything they can find about reactions to the game – industry press, forums, Facebook, and Twitter, just to name a few. The Mass Effect team, like other teams across the BioWare Label within EA, consists of passionate people who work hard for the love of creating experiences that excite and delight our fans. I’m honored to work with them because they have the courage and strength to respond to constructive feedback.

Building on their research, Exec Producer Casey Hudson and the team are hard at work on a number of game content initiatives that will help answer the questions, providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey. You’ll hear more on this in April. We’re working hard to maintain the right balance between the artistic integrity of the original story while addressing the fan feedback we’ve received. This is in addition to our existing plan to continue providing new Mass Effect content and new full games, so rest assured that your journey in the Mass Effect universe can, and will, continue.

The reaction to the release of Mass Effect 3 has been unprecedented. On one hand, some of our loyal fans are passionately expressing their displeasure about how their game concluded; we care about this feedback, and we’re planning to directly address it. However, most folks appear to agree that the game as a whole is exceptional, with more than 75 critics giving it a perfect review score and a review average in the mid-90s. Net, I’m proud of the team, but we can and must always strive to do better.

Some of the criticism that has been delivered in the heat of passion by our most ardent fans, even if founded on valid principles, such as seeking more clarity to questions or looking for more closure, for example – has unfortunately become destructive rather than constructive. We listen and will respond to constructive criticism, but much as we will not tolerate individual attacks on our team members, we will not support or respond to destructive commentary.

If you are a Mass Effect fan and have input for the team – we respect your opinion and want to hear it. We’re committed to address your constructive feedback as best we can. In return, I’d ask that you help us do that by supporting what I truly believe is the best game BioWare has yet crafted. I urge you to do your own research: play the game, finish it and tell us what you think. Tell your friends if you feel it’s a good game as a whole. Trust that we are doing our damndest, as always, to address your feedback. As artists, we care about our fans deeply and we appreciate your support.

Thank you for your feedback – we are listening.

Ray

Muzyka also confirmed that, surprise, more games are planned for the Mass Effect franchise in the future.

Source - Bioware

[LordDon]

What's that saying about haters?

[Karak]

As I was wondering about in the other thread. I see many parallels to the leaker who leaked information about the April DLC "The Truth" that was from someone who has leaked data before. Weirdness.

[Deadend]

"seeking further closure"
-Implying there is ANY closure in Mass Effect 3.

[Stmfuller]

I'm not even through ME1 and mine eyes are ablaze with all the hate from ME3 ending. I"ve seen it here, reddit, and other sites.
Shepard must be killing kittens or something.

[kyrieee]

"...the passionate reaction of some of our most loyal players to the current endings in Mass Effect 3 is something that has genuinely surprised us."

How about that

[Narradisall]

Lets hope whomever does the decision making doesn't decide to charge for this DLC if it is 'the ending'. I know they will probably throw it up for money, but god the shitstorm that will bring down.

The game was great, the ending wasn't, but here's hoping they learn from it.

[[Jez]]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

It's a discussion that's been swirling since we all first heard the term 'Midichlorian', but it's really come to a head here.

?? I thought Parasite Eve was a very good game

OT: I too had a huge wtf moment at the end but had a sneaking suspicion about a DLC ending when I read that I had become a legend... If this isnt a patch and is sold then I REALLY hope people boycott it so this shit doesn't become the norm, but remembering Modern Warfare 2s boycott...

/me goes for a beer

[bean]

I think listening to player feedback and providing free content as a result is a gold-star awesome move. If they charge people for it, then it's bullshit.

[Cyndair]

The range of emotions that I've felt over this whole situation is unprecedented for me as a gamer.

At first, while I was still in the process of playing through the game, I was angry at the fan base for their reaction to the ending. "What a bunch of self-entitled whiny babies," I thought. "Really? We're going to hate on Mass Effect and Bioware now?" I just couldn't fathom how an ending could be so bad that it would turn so many against such a loved franchise.

As I continued through the game, I became more and more convinced that I would side with Bioware's artistic decisions about the ending, whatever they were. Mass Effect 3 is just so damn good. And it continued to be good, right up until those last 10 minutes.

My initial reaction to the ending was pretty neutral. I went in wanting to like it, just to fly in the face of all the haters. After the credits rolled, I remember thinking to myself, "Well, that wasn't TOO bad. Certainly not worth getting worked up about. I'm anxious to go and play the other two endings to see the differences."

I watched the outcome of all three possible decisions that you can make at the end, and that's when my neutrality shifted to disappointment. It wasn't that it was bad... No, it was far worse than that. It was lazy.

Disappointment turned to sadness as I considered more of the loose ends and read the well thought out reactions of others. It's just a missed opportunity. If it was any other game, maybe I wouldn't have cared as much. But this is Mass Effect. It was supposed to be something different, something special.

In the end, I find myself siding with those calling for a different ending. I just can't justify the support of the ending in its current state. There is no argument for it. I see an opportunity here for something else unprecedented. A major creative change to a finished product. What if they pulled this off? What if they released a wildly different ending? Has something like this ever been done before?

I would love to see Mass Effect end with the same level of quality and emotion that is so consistent during the other 74.8 hours of game play. This post gives me hope. The fact that I find myself caring so much says a lot.

Come on Bioware!

[digitalErich]

Well, this is certainly a step back for 'games as art' if they do change the ending.

[The Iron Weasel]

Originally Posted by kyrieee

"...the passionate reaction of some of our most loyal players to the current endings in Mass Effect 3 is something that has genuinely surprised us."

How about that

I'm sure that's a "massaged" version of the truth.

I sincerely hope that they don't change the ending. No one should ever have to change their vision of their story. In my opinion, if they actually change the ending that will set a horrible precedent for the future of interactive entertainment and could discourage innovation such as what we've seen in the Mass Effect series. I can't speak to everyone that was dissatisfied with the ending, but from my perspective I just want more exposition on the events of the ending because as is it just doesn't make any real sense to me. Developers should never have to be afraid to take chances and limit their ambitions because of how people may react. Art is meant to be subjective and meant to evoke emotion and to make you think, but in this particular case it (once again I am speaking only to how I feel about it) it wasn't an emotional reaction based on the events of the story or cause me to think about whats next and what might happen. The events that transpired simply made no sense in the context of the story and there was no effort to explain them, which left me confused and as if the trust I had placed in this team to give me this story (which was a bond forged when I purchased all three games) was broken. In the final arc of the story which promises to end the conflict and answer questions is to me unacceptable and doesn't seem intentional, it seems like really poor writing and the product of simply running out of time and not having any other option.

If the team behind creating this franchise truly believes that this is the ending they wanted the series to have, I urge them not to do a damn thing. It just doesn't seem like the case though.

This is the first time anyone has ever attempted to pull off a game like this, so I hope at worst its a learning experience to BioWare and anyone else who attempts something of this nature. Not a lesson to never try.

[kyrieee]

I liked this
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...nding-sort-of/

[Vandabo]

Originally Posted by Cyndair

The range of emotions that I've felt over this whole situation is unprecedented for me as a gamer.

At first, while I was still in the process of playing through the game, I was angry at the fan base for their reaction to the ending. "What a bunch of self-entitled whiny babies," I thought. "Really? We're going to hate on Mass Effect and Bioware now?" I just couldn't fathom how an ending could be so bad that it would turn so many against such a loved franchise.

As I continued through the game, I became more and more convinced that I would side with Bioware's artistic decisions about the ending, whatever they were. Mass Effect 3 is just so damn good. And it continued to be good, right up until those last 10 minutes.

My initial reaction to the ending was pretty neutral. I went in wanting to like it, just to fly in the face of all the haters. After the credits rolled, I remember thinking to myself, "Well, that wasn't TOO bad. Certainly not worth getting worked up about. I'm anxious to go and play the other two endings to see the differences."

I watched the outcome of all three possible decisions that you can make at the end, and that's when my neutrality shifted to disappointment. It wasn't that it was bad... No, it was far worse than that. It was lazy.

Disappointment turned to sadness as I considered more of the loose ends and read the well thought out reactions of others. It's just a missed opportunity. If it was any other game, maybe I wouldn't have cared as much. But this is Mass Effect. It was supposed to be something different, something special.

In the end, I find myself siding with those calling for a different ending. I just can't justify the support of the ending in its current state. There is no argument for it. I see an opportunity here for something else unprecedented. A major creative change to a finished product. What if they pulled this off? What if they released a wildly different ending? Has something like this ever been done before?

I would love to see Mass Effect end with the same level of quality and emotion that is so consistent during the other 74.8 hours of game play. This post gives me hope. The fact that I find myself caring so much says a lot.

Come on Bioware!

Well said. This very closely mirrors my experience. I played the game and experienced the endings already knowing of the bubbling internet hate for them. I wasn't mad, just disappointed in a huge way.

[digitalErich]

Originally Posted by kyrieee

I liked this
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...nding-sort-of/

That was excellent.

[Narradisall]

Cyndair and Vandabo - That mirrors my reactions as well. I came on here after finishing it and said I wasn't upset with the ending (I'm still not), but the more I thought and read on it, the more I realised how much of a polar opposite the ending is to all the core themes of the 3 games.

[Karak]

Originally Posted by digitalErich

Well, this is certainly a step back for 'games as art' if they do change the ending.

This is what I thought as well. I so hope it is. That tired old dog needs to die.

I will be so happy if they change it. They knew it was rushed, pointed out that they were rushing, didn't have an ending planned for a 3 game series until less than 2 months before primary deadline. It was a botched job and they are fessing up to it. I am cool with that.

[DoctorFinger]

Originally Posted by digitalErich

Well, this is certainly a step back for 'games as art' if they do change the ending.

That to me is the worst thing. If they change the ending Bioware is admitting that they're not trying to make the best story, they're trying to make a story which causes the least controversy.

[Zanzibar]

GAH - I haven't beaten the game yet but Jesus it's hard to not want to find out what all the fuss is about.

[Karak]

Originally Posted by kyrieee

I liked this
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...nding-sort-of/

That is a pretty good read dang. Though I don't think games are art. Not even close, I like his writing about how artists do take and are open to feedback and adjustment of their works and also admitting that they did a botched job if they did. I also like the idea that he calls out some of the reviews in question.