Despite the outpouring of negativity Mass Effect 3’s ending has produced, director Casey Hudson still wants to know what you think – and even believes you may be right.
In a lengthy statement posted on the the BioWare Social Network, Hudson acknowledged the “discussion and debate” the controversial trilogy ending has caused, but reiterated earlier messaging that BioWare always intended a conclusion of the same ilk.
“Mass Effect 3 had to live up to a lot of expectations, not only for a great gaming experience, but for a resolution to the countless storylines and decisions you’ve made as a player since the journey began in 2007. So we designed Mass Effect 3 to be a series of endings to key plots and storylines, each culminating in scenes that show you the consequences of your actions. You then carry the knowledge of these consequences with you as you complete the final moments of your journey,” he said.
“We always intended that the scale of the conflict and the underlying theme of sacrifice would lead to a bittersweet ending – to do otherwise would betray the agonizing decisions Shepard had to make along the way.”
That said, Hudson acknowledged the developer failed to tick every box.
“We also recognize that some of our most passionate fans needed more closure, more answers, and more time to say goodbye to their stories – and these comments are equally valid,” he said.
The director noted the importance of player feedback to the Mass Effect series as a whole, which shaped both sequels and the DLC released so far.
“We didn’t do it on our own. Over the course of the series, Mass Effect has been a shared experience between the development team and our fans – not just a shared experience in playing the games, but in designing and developing them,” he said.
“An outpouring of love for Garrus and Tali led to their inclusion as love interests in Mass Effect 2. A request for deeper RPG systems led to key design changes in Mass Effect 3. Your feedback has always mattered. Mass Effect is a collaboration between developers and players, and we continue to listen.”
Hudson said BioWare will continue to support and create new content for Mass Effect 3 for at least the rest of the year.
“And we’ll keep listening, because your insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be. This is not the last you’ll hear of Commander Shepard. We look forward to your continued support and involvement as we work together to shape the remaining experiences in the story of the Mass Effect trilogy.
“Thanks for taking this journey with us,” he said in closing.
Last week, BioWare acknowledged complaints and assured fans it was listening, but this is the first time the developer has admitted the ending of Mass Effect 3 may have overlooked player investment in the series.
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