Amazon refunds disappointed Mass Effect 3 player

The controversy surrounding the ending of Mass Effect 3 refuses to die, but publishers Bioware are refusing to make any rash decisions about the game, stating only that they are ‘still collecting and considering’ players’ feedback.

The first sign of trouble following the game’s release was a fan setting up this page on the Bioware forum begging the developers to change the ending, and even offering up his or her own alternative.

Since then the protests have become louder and more varied, with one player filing a false advertising complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and another asking for and getting a refund from online retailing website Amazon (I recommend reading this post on videogamewriters.com before trying this for yourself).

I have yet to play the latest addition to the hugely successful and innovative Mass Effect series, but many players are clearly very disappointed by the game’s ending, which was supposed to round off the trilogy with a finale influenced by choices made in all three games.

For their part, Bioware have stated in a post on the Mass Effect Facebook page that they are not making any decisions on the campaign for a new ending until they have given the issue proper consideration.

"We are actively and seriously taking all player feedback into consideration and have ruled nothing out,” the post reads.

"At this time we are still collecting and considering your feedback and have not made a decision regarding requests to change the ending.”

Meanwhile Vox Games has reported that Paul Barnett, senior creative at Bioware-Mythic, told a symposium celebrating the art of the videogame that although giving gamers a choice is important, it is still the right of the developer to take the role of story-teller.

"If computer games are art then I fully endorse the author of the artwork to have a statement about what they believe should happen,” Barnett says.

"Just as J.K Rowling can end her books and say that is the end of Harry Potter, I don’t think she should be forced to make another one.”

But thousands of fans will beg to differ, as the Facebook and Twitter movement ‘Retake Mass Effect’ shows, raising money for kid’s charity Child’s Play whilst raging about the ending of the trilogy.

Do you think the Mass Effect 3 ending was that bad, or was it a fair way to round off a great trilogy? If it truly wasn’t up to scratch, what’s the remedy? Can you ask a publisher to ‘fix’ a work of art? Post your comments below.