The Concerned Autistic: Mass Marketing Infinity (Formerly Known as Mass Effect 3)

*Sigh* And I was looking forward to buying it and Mass Effect 2 for the Playstaion 3 too....

Lately I have been hearing much outrage concerning Bioware's choice for how to conclude the ending, not only that but the attempt by some fans to explain the ending using the Indoctrination Theory. There are many arguments for the indoctrination theory on youtube alone, but I'll leave you, my few loyal readers, a Cliff's Notes version from the Angry Joe website.

I'll wait for you to watch it in its entirety before I continue with my own thoughts....

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Alright, now that everyone is back from that little lesson, allow me to lay in my own two cents on the matter. If what the Indoctrination Theory is true, than Bioware/EA is highly likely to have an Epilogue DLC (The Downloadable Content version, not the controversial Disk-Locked Content) to be released for whatever reason. Though it is also likely that Bioware would reason that they need to calculate the possible choices based upon previous saved data in order to deliver the satisfying ending many fellow fans have expected since the first game was published on the Xbox 360 console and PC in 2007. It can also be plausible that due to development stress to have the game arrive on store shelves in a timely manner or perhaps even earlier due to a certain publisher, Bioware was unable to implement the planned ending algorithms in time for EA's deadline.

Now let's make one thing clear: I have not played this franchise beyond the demos that were available on the Playstation Network so I do not have such a strong stake in the game series as many would have, but I can feel your pain (assuming that those who are reading it are fans of Mass Effect). The very idea that Bioware would do such a tactic, even if it was to buy lost development time, is atrocious, appalling. This is a business decision that should not be encouraged by the players and fans at all, that we should pay up to $60 dollars (or whatever currency equivalent to those who are not within the United States) for an incomplete game and only view the true ending if we pay for it separately.

What I predict is that for those who purchased/preordered the Collectors Edition of the game would be able to get the Epilogue DLC once it is finally released at no additional cost, while for everyone else it must be purchased separately. Somehow I doubt that there would be a "Game of the Year" edition where all of the DLC and other such bonus content to be burned onto the disk like Fallout 3 for example.

Bioware/EA has possibly heard of these complaints by now, though it'll be some time such as the release of the Epilogue DLC, before the public at large is made aware of how those companies would respond to the outrage. Still, whatever the truth may be there is one undeniable fact: The controversy of Mass Effect 3's ending alone illustrated a poorly calculated and judged business move that will do more harm than good for the franchise and the companies involved in the long run. They will have to do something drastic to even begin to gain back the trust and confidence from the fans that they used to have. Assuming that there was much to begin with that is.....

Anyway, feel free to discuss this issue in the comments below.

Image curtsy from holytaco.com