The Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut
What can fans expect from the Extended Cut DLC?
- For fans who want more closure in Mass Effect 3, the DLC will offer extended scenes that provide additional context and deeper insight to the conclusion of Commander Shepard’s journey.
Are there going to be more/different endings or ending DLCs in the future?
- No. BioWare strongly believes in the team’s artistic vision for the end of this arc of the Mass Effect franchise. The extended cut DLC will expand on the existing endings, but no further ending DLC is planned.
What is BioWare adding to the ending with the Extended Cut DLC?
- BioWare will expanding on the ending to Mass Effect 3 by creating additional cinematics and epilogue scenes to the existing ending sequences. The goal of these new scenes is to provide additional clarity and closure to Mass Effect 3.
It is coming out this summer, and it’s free. Mission Accomplished.
Also of note is that there is some free multiplayer DLC that should be launching on Tuesday. I have officially spent more hours playing ME3 multiplayer than ME3 single-player, so this is of interest to me. It is pretty clever of EA/Bioware though, in that undoubtedly all of the new content (other than maps) will likely be need to be unlocked via the random packs purchased via in-game credits… or Bioware Points. All of the goodwill of free DLC, along with all the subsidization of microtransactions.
Regarding the nature of the Extended Cut, Kotaku dug a little deeper, and provided some more details. Namely, that A) Bioware is shifting its DLC plans to make sure this comes out first, B) it will include cinematic sequences (!) and epilogue scenes, C) Command Shepard isn’t (likely) to have any new/revised lines of dialog, D) “‘should be able to grab a save file before the endgame and experience the new content from there.’ (Keep a pre-endgame savefile, folks!)” E) Indoctrination theory is probably kaput.
Some general endgame details.
Regarding the latter, it was Liveblogged that they said:
“The indoctrination theory illustrates again how, um, committed the fanbase is…” don’t want to comment either way. Don’t want to be prescriprive — fans interpret their own way, plus DLC coming. “We want the content to speak for itself, and we’ll let it do so”
That does not particularly sound like a response from people who intentionally wanted it all to be a dream. Ironically, since Bioware will essentially be designing the epilogue based on fan feedback/questions, it is entirely possible that they may fit in Indoctrination-y wiggle room. I hope not, but we’ll see.
This exchange was also interesting, for different reasons:
[…] His question – when citadel is moved, what happens to everyone on it?
Answer: One of the things in the citadel codex is that anyplace -inside- the citadel has emergency seals, and some exterior areas have emergency seals that can keep atmosphere in. Even if the Citadel is destroyed (which it may or may not be in ending), “is not like the entire things blow up.” People on (in) the arms may well still be alive. No reason to assume 100% casualties
Err… okay. Not exactly sure how it makes a lot of sense for the Reapers to be in control of the Citadel for X length of time and not handle all the armed civilians (my Shepard encouraged the formation of a militia), but perhaps that goes a ways towards this making sense. Incidentally, I actually have a serious problem with the breath scene being “canon,” but I suppose we will have to see how things pan out this summer.
P.S. This comparison between Mass Effect and Lord of the Rings highlights why all this was necessary to begin with. You know, if my writing about it constantly for the last three weeks wasn’t enough.
Posted on April 9, 2012, in Commentary and tagged Bioware, DLC, Ending, Liveblog, Mass Effect 3, Spoiler Alert. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
In An Age 
I always said that Bioware would not add endings or change them significantly. Early on in this whole uproar people were saying that they didn’t want happy ever after endings but that the game sucked because they were unclear and not explained. Also there was not enough closure about what happens to your crew and other species.
So I think Bioware called their bluff. They will now explain most if not all of these things. But Shepard is dead, dead and dead (after taking one more breath which could have been his last for all we know). There are no drinks on the beach or blue babies. Bioware gave so many clues to that a year before the game was even released by saying Shepard’s story was over and he/she would never come back.
Having said all this I’ll explain why I was disappointed. In ME1 I remeber almsot tearing up seeing my Shepard crawl out of the rubble. In ME2 the suicide run then combined with Shepard walking around and his crew giving nods to him made me feel like I accomplished something really important and beat the odds.
In ME3 I was emotional about Mordin, Thane, Legion and had smiles galore. Shooting with Garrus and other scenes were all heartfelt. Then the ending came and I felt almost nothing. I don’t care what the endings are I wanted to feel something for Shepard and his crew. They missed the mark by not having emotion in the ending.
To me it was like seeing a firworks show only to have the ending a couple of firecrackers instead of a few hundred booms to the 1812 ovature. So I hope and pray that they bring in emotion. They can keep the three endings, keep the kid and do what they want with the galaxy. But do it with emotion.
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