Mass Effect 3 ending may constitute false advertising, says US consumer group

[BoyBettaKnow]

The widely pilloried ending to Mass Effect 3 may constitute false advertising on the part of developer BioWare, according to US trading standards group the Better Business Bureau.A new blog post from its communications director Marjorie Stephens today directly answered complaints to that effect made by gamers to the US Federal Trade Commission.

According to Stephens, the offending statements are two pieces of marketing blurb from the game's official website:

• "Experience the beginning, middle, and end of an emotional story unlike any other, where the decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome."
• "Along the way, your choices drive powerful outcomes, including relationships with key characters, the fate of entire civilizations, and even radically different ending scenarios."

"Did BioWare falsely advertise?" asked Stephens."Technically, yes, they did. In the first bullet point, where it states 'the decisions you makecompletely shape your experience', there is no indecision in that statement. It is an absolute."However, she went on to argue that the case against the second sentence is not quite so clear cut.

"The next statement is not so absolute. It states 'your choices drive powerful outcomes'. A consumer would have to very carefully analyse this statement to come to a conclusion that the game's outcome is not 'wholly' determined by one's choices. This statement, really though, is very subject to interpretation."

Though just a blog post and not an official judgment from the organisation, Stephens did call on publishers to take more care when crafting marketing soundbites.

"The lesson to be learned here is companies should give careful consideration to how they word their advertisements. Otherwise, there could be detrimental effects, especially in the era of social media and online forums," she wrote.Following widespread fan outcry at the game's controversial denouement, BioWare has announced a free DLC expansion that will add clarity to the story.

The Stuff

Oh wow, what do you think of this?

[admartian]

Good.

I don't wish any ill will towards bioware, even though their games went from "Don't even bother with reviews or user-opinion because it's a definite Day1 buy!!" for me; to "probably won't even consider".

But if they're punished litigously, I won't be up in arms about it.

[Fon]

Technically it is false advertisement on their part but I don't really care much about that.

[Fenix]

Ending was meh, but the game as a whole was pretty kick ass and probably the best in the series. (Me2, for me, had the best ending. Had me craving more)

[DarkVincent07]

I suppose technically yeah it was... which is kinda crazy because although I wasn't a massive fan of the ending I think stuff like this is taking a BIT far... I'm in 2 minds about this

[Sylar]

what, isn't the free expansion just cutscenes to explain more stuff? there isn't actually any more gameplay is there

[mynd]

24 different ending says they dont have a leg to stand on.

I'm sorry but I dont know of any other game that gives you 24 different posisble endings, so sorry no.

[admartian]

24 different ending says they dont have a leg to stand on.

I'm sorry but I dont know of any other game that gives you 24 different posisble endings, so sorry no.

Please don't make Kiwis look stupid by believing there is actually 24 different endings.

ANd I mean that in the nicest way possible, bro.

(Show me more than 1, let alone 3).

[MATRIX 2]

24 different ending says they dont have a leg to stand on.

I'm sorry but I dont know of any other game that gives you 24 different posisble endings, so sorry no.

Please don't make Kiwis look stupid by believing there is actually 24 different endings.

ANd I mean that in the nicest way possible, bro.

(Show me more than 1, let alone 3).

See the problem is once you get a Good enough EMS and Readiness percentage the endings are the same.

But if you don't have high enough figures the ending can vary quite a bit.

[admartian]

See the problem is once you get a Good enough EMS and Readiness percentage the endings are the same.

But if you don't have high enough figures the ending can vary quite a bit.

It's still the same in end though - it's just that you have less choices (or even none) with low EMS.

The endings are pretty much the same, but defefinitely nowhere near 24.

[mynd]

It's still the same in end though - it's just that you have less choices (or even none) with low EMS.

The endings are pretty much the same, but defefinitely nowhere near 24.

Well, technically there is 18, seeing as you dont get the choice in some of the lower ones, but you count em...

http://au.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings

And just for the record, My Shephard, he's alive and kicking.

[admartian]

Well, technically there is 18, seeing as you dont get the choice in some of the lower ones, but you count em...

http://au.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings

And just for the record, My Shephard, he's alive and kicking.

The outcomes are still the same; which is the end..so it's an _ending_. Therefore there are still only _3_ at the very most (even then that it's a stretch).


Oh so you chose red-beam?

[mynd]

The outcomes are still the same; which is the end..so it's an _ending_. Therefore there are still only _3_ at the very most (even then that it's a stretch).


Oh so you chose red-beam?

I'm gonna hide this as it's spoilers

There are three things you have to control, the fate of earth, the fate of you squad mates and your fate.
Given there are 2 possible scenarios in which you live only, 3 different states of earths fate, and 3 different fates of you squad mates you end up with 6 unique (7 technically as one depends on Andersens fate) endings.

1 - Everyone is fucked
2 - Everyone is fucked except squadmates
3- Earth is devestated but your squadmates survive
4- Earth is saved and you squadmates survive
5- Earth is saved and your squadmates are synthesised
6- Everyone is saved if you saved Anderson
7- Everyone is saved.

As for my choice, I live and die by my gun. Apparently it helps that I imported my character.