Setting a precedent that fans have the ability to successfully petition the change of a game ending is what BioWare did when they agreed to make ending DLC for “Mass Effect 3” — almost. The “almost” is my kudos to BioWare. They followed through on their statement while still keeping their integrity. But let’s start from the beginning.

Only days after “Mass Effect 3” was released, fans were trolling the sites of anything that had to do with “Mass Effect” or BioWare because of the unfulfilling “ME3” ending. I’m all for disagreeing with an ending because it was appalling, but I draw the line somewhere between ranting on fan forums and submitting a false advertising complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (an agency designed to protect consumers).

Yes, a fan actually went to the FTC. His complaint was that BioWare did not live up to its promises: “After reading through the list of promises about the ending of the game they made in their advertising campaign and PR interviews, it was clear that the product we got did not live up to any of those claims,” said the fan, according to [Game Informer.](http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/03/17/mass-effect-3-ending-fighter-goes-to-the-ftc.aspx)

After the initial outrage, “Mass Effect 3” producer Casey Hudson issued this statement on a [forum post](http://social.bioware.com/language.php?return_url=%2Fforum%2F1%2Ftopic%2F324%2Findex%2F10089946), “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. But 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. Player feedback such as this has always been an essential ingredient in the development of the series.”

BioWare used recent fan feedback to produce “Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut,” a free download that will give gamers “deeper insights into how their personal journey concludes” by adding “cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes,” as is said on BioWare’s DLC [FAQ.](http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/05/mass-effect-3-extended-cut/)

I believe that throughout the immersive experience of franchises like “Mass Effect,” you need to nonetheless realize that you are being taken along for the journey. Sure, some games give you choices, but they all have to end at some point. Just like a novel, the author (think developer) has full authority over the direction of the ending.

That’s why I give kudos to BioWare for “Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut.” On the FAQ, it also explicitly stated, “The goal of the DLC is not to provide a new ending to the game, rather to offer fans additional context and answers to the end of Commander Shepard’s story.”

As the kicker, they officially announced there would be no more ending DLC after “Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut.”

Boom. BioWare did it there. Did you see it? They did not concede to the demands of “fans” but offered a solution to help aid complainers’ so-called wounds while sticking to their convictions about their artistic vision.

To be upset over an ending is understandable, even human. To demand that the developer change the ending is a pretentious request that deteriorates the foundation of both the artistic endeavor and gameplay experience. Developers won’t be getting what they want because they will have to concede to consumer demands more than ever before, and maybe gamers won’t get the best possible experience because of this.

BioWare struck the balance as far as I’m concerned. If the scales are tipped in any way, it’s surely to the developers, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.