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Disgruntled fans who continue to be angry with the creative direction BioWare took at the end of Mass Effect 3 are now being told to bring their complaints to the Federal Trade Commission. The push is being ushered along by BioWare forums user El_Spiko, who directs fellow angry fans to lodge their own complaints at FTC.gov.
El_Spiko writes: "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." The post goes on from there, but that's the core of the argument.
I hesitate to come out and call anyone crazy... but I don't know how to finish that sentence. It is absolutely the right of any human to take issue with the creative direction a work of mass entertainment goes in. We are opinionated creatures by our very natures, and so the back-and-forth discussion so far over the end of Mass Effect 3 is par for the course, even if it's got a bit of that "beaten dead horse" feeling to it.
Lodging that dissatisfaction with a government organization that handles consumer products though... I'm sorry, but that's nuts. We've fought hard as a community -- and continue to fight even now -- to earn a measure of respect for video games as something more than mere entertainment products. And it's working! Increasingly, you see the "games as art" debate dismissed as a non-factor.
Filing complaints with the FTC is a backwards step. Games are once again rendered as products in the hands of the FTC, and all because it's convenient to a presumably small contingent of angry fans. Star Wars fans don't take their issues with George Lucas to a consumer organization; instead, they write impassioned blog posts like this one. And that's totally fine. It adds to the conversation without forgetting the fact that we're talking about a creative work.
So bring on your blogs posts. Rant all you want about how much you hate BioWare for destroying however many hours you put into the trilogy. Point out pre-release interviews that you feel painted a different picture for the trilogy's endgame than the reality of what it was. That's fine. Just remember to treat Mass Effect 3 as it ought to be: a creative work of interactive fiction. This isn't a toy we're talking about, it's an experience.
Read about this FTC news. Respond to it. But if you have any respect for how much ground the medium of video games has gained in the public consciousness, please, for the love of Shepard, don't join in on this asinine complaint campaign. Instead, go ahead and read what ME3 director Casey Hudson had to say to fans over the weekend about the game's ending.
Source: Gamepur
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Comments
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Doomtastic
I kind of laughed while reading this and the comments, but I see the point of the complainer's and the one's who think this is a ridiculous action.
First off, the government didn't create this game, so why on Earth, complain to them? BioWare is the place any of it should have been done at. I do see why you are complaining about the ending. It wasn't up to your expectations and you might feel as if you wasted your money all for a crap ending with a whole great story behind it. That would make me angry too, honestly.
But you still got to see it all the way through. Heck, you beat all 3 games and loved the WHOLE story up to the ending. If Video Games wasn't a form of art instead of just entertainment, I would probably be like "Well you bought it, sorry.", but to see the ending is like seeing visual art of a FANTASTIC moment to something. Especially if it's the ending of a Trilogy. I think they do have rights to complain, just not to the government, since obviously(I state this again) they weren't the ones who created it.
locsphere
Look I think it is ridiculous like many of you, but if BioWare doesn't listen. Then this is a lot of peoples only means to get these business practices to stop. Maybe to G4 and other game companies all it takes is shiny graphics with good functionality. But to us an entire story line has been ruined and many more will be ruined if something isn't done.
BioWare needs to stop this typical PR damage control and level with the fans otherwise they will take it up with the FTC. They had all these promises and their claims of it not being an abc ending are easily disproved. People are outraged and interactive media is entertainment. If nothing is done then yes all options for complaints including the FTC and BBB are on the table and will be utilized to their fullest extent. Stop enabling the game industry to make grand promises that result in a fizzle. Choices... Turns out they do matter for BioWare. Especially if they make the wrong ones. IGN and all these other game companies are on the gamers crap list Too!
Rivalor
Don't waste my tax dollars with this. If you don't like a story don't get all legal on it. Say your peace and move on. Petitions, letters, etc. are all good.
If this has truly ruined your life, as it seems it has for some people, don't buy anything from this/these companies. Let your hard earned (or Mom's) money help get your point across.
I have watched a few movies lately that were ok but the ending sucks...I mean SUCKS. You know what? Life goes on. Maybe you feel cheated, maybe you feel ripped off but you weren't (or at least not enough to take legal action). If video games are not art, then in no way are movies art.
Remember, you paid for the WHOLE game, and not just an ending. The FTC is there to look out for real problems or real illegal actions.
Scarfo
ok...this has gotten way past ridiculous...
digitaljack30
I can't even explain how sad this really is. Are people's lives really this sad and pathetic that they have nothing better to do then complain about a game's ending? I've always thought of the gaming community as a bunch of cry babies, but this goes well beyond that. I love a good game, but due to the actions of much of the gaming community, never will I refer to myself as a "gamer". I feel by doing so I associate myself with losers like these.
Sorceress
i dont agree with El_Spiko either, however..
Its not a game, its a product. In Fact, its a product that cost sixty dollars minimum. Thats dinner for three at a decent resturaunt, three movies, a soft top for your jeep, and half a months worth of electric bills for an average apartment kept really warm. its real money. But in this case, the product WAS advertised as one thing, but in truth was something different. It is a victim of false advertising, and thereby, the customers who purchased this product in good faith, were also victimized. However, If People can be fans of Ford or Chevy, Or JVC, or Kliptsch, then yes, we're fans of Bioware, and we are working to establish a working to have the endings re-written. However, the vast majority of us would prefer to allow Bioware time enough to be able to respond, instead of just flat out file complaints and yell and scream and stomp our feet..
regarding the broader generalized definitons of Fandom, it is as incorrect as any generalized terminology and implies a lack of thinking on the part of any person that posts it. We are all, each of us, consumers first, and video game entertainment is a consumer market. Each of us here work ( or since i'm retired ) worked hard for our income. I would personally like to not be sold a bottle of snake oil, but rather make an investment that lives up to its advertising.
JAguayo
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carnage4u
As bad as the ending was, and its epic quality bad. I dont see the point in this.. It would be nice if you could return a bad game for credit, but since thats not possible at most places and all you can do is not buy future products from a company.
Seahawks28
This is getting absolutely ridiculous. Well I hope this guy actually files his complaint and the FTC finds a way to fine him for wasting their time. He deserves it.
enigma_cipher
Seriously, if you want to protest EA's crappy direction - stop buying their crappy games.
Atavax
I think this situation if anything, makes a strong argument for games being an Art. It is so often that game developers take the safe route and cater to the masses when developing their videogames. It is refreshing to see a major developer take a route that alienates a large section of their audience. Art is often controversial and its nice to have controversy over something other then the violence and gore in today's video games.
Bowmanganie
Since only 66% of people who played Mass Effect 2 actually FINISHED the game (Game Informer article) I would be willing to bet that a large percentage of the people bitching about the ending of Mass Effect 3 haven't actually played the ending or maybe even purchased the game. Internet complaining is like trying to find the red pebble in the pile of pebbles. The true one is in there...somewhere, but most of it is just the wrong pebble. I am at the beginning of the ending...I think...heading back to earth, but all this complaining has made me pause before I start it. I think it has ruined my own gameplay experience without even experiencing it.
paypop
CRITC. not CRITICS. Come on man, I'm really starting to find G4 correspondents less credible when I read what they have to say on ME3.
SakuyaFM
Did not like the endings, but for a game I beat 3 times in a week, I really don't care. However, if I played something the length of Front Mission 3, Final Fantasy, Tales, etc., and I get a crappy ending, I will be mad. ME3 took 22-ish hours of ingame playtime. Those other JRPGs take AT LEAST 60 hours. AT LEAST.
CoIoneI Klink
.... Rea...Really!?!?
Setta
The FTC will just laugh this off. It won't hold up. lol.
Stellerman7
The title of this article is completely misleading. Only guy so far complained to the FTC, not multiple critics. I really wouldn't expect this kind of exaggerated journalism from someone like G4 but I guess everyone is full of surprises these days. Very disappointing.
lowkevmic
This is what happens when you give disgruntled geeks an open forum to voice their opinions. Fanboys have become somewhat trendy over the past few years, and the notoriety have gone to some of their heads. To even think that the federal government gives two left squirrel testicles about the complaints over a VIDEO GAME ENDING, is hilarious and sad at the same time. Like that is the only important thing in the world right now to bring to the federal government!!??? Really??
You guys really, and I mean really need a girlfriend or something to occupy your time, because it's a game fellas, get over it.
Keth
It's nice to see BioWare has such dedicated fans.
I haven't played the game yet but I bet that ending was really good, but people hate it somehow.
CaptCapcom
obviously, these people never beat Alien 3 for Sega Genesis .... talk about a crap ending.
Suck it up and move on to the next game, idiots!
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