Mass Effect 3's free “Extended Cut” DLC to extend ending this summer

Stop the petitions and polish off your Mass Effect 3 saves. BioWare and EA have announced the arrival of free DLC that promises to bring clarity and closure for those still miffed by the trilogy's ending (or lack thereof).

Landing this summer, Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut will lengthen the game's final moments with new cinematics and epilogue scenes designed to give players a better understanding of ME3's ending, and a clearer idea of where the galaxy's biggest players wound up following Commander Shepard's end-game decision.

“Since launch, we have had time to listen to the feedback from our most passionate fans and we are responding,” said BioWare co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka in today's release. “With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we think we have struck a good balance in delivering the answers players are looking for while maintaining the team’s artistic vision for the end of this story arc in the Mass Effect universe.”

Casey Hudson, ME3's executive producer and one of the more vocal defenders of the game's ending (read: BioWare defends Mass Effect 3 ending, welcomes feedback for DLC), said the free DLC should satisfy players who felt ME3's raised more questions than it answered, and fell short in offering truly unique outcomes based on player decisions.

“We have reprioritized our post-launch development efforts to provide the fans who want more closure with even more context and clarity to the ending of the game, in a way that will feel more personalized for each player,” Hudson added.

The free expansion announcement comes after weeks of debate over whether BioWare should rework its ending based on community feedback, or if the studio should stick to its guns for the sake of artistic integrity. While it appears BioWare has leaned slightly toward the former, the addition of more story shouldn't bother players who were already content with the studio's first attempt. Or will it? Let us know if you'll be downloading Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, or if you'd prefer to remember the game as is.

Oh, and while you're waiting for the DLC, see if you agree with our own Mass Effect 3 ending suggestions in Mass Effect 3: Not happy with the ending? Choose one of these 20 alternative endings instead.

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Mass Effect 3 Ending Controversy, Day 22: Cupcakes for everyone, because Mass Effect?

A cadre of Mass Effect fans are still steamed about the third game's ending – but have chosen to express their dissatisfaction in a sweet, friendly sort of way. What's sweeter and friendlier than a delicious cupcake? Obviously, 402 cupcakes. And is delivering such a heaping helping of sweet treats to someone's office a good way of punishing them for a perceived oversight? Let's keep an eye on Bioware to find out.

Having had their efforts to change Mass Effect 3's ending for charity stymied, slighted fans decided to send a kindness-bomb directly to the source. The result, reports Game Informer, is a funding drive for over $1000 worth of cupcakes, to be delivered to Bioware's door. “This is our way, as fans, to drive our message home, but in a (literally) sweet way,” explains the protest's page: “In this case, the cake is NOT a lie!” Come on, you didn't seriously expect this to come off without at least one such reference, did you?

Above: See? This real thing is really happening

The cakes will be colored red, green or blue, and frosted with the letters A, B or C – to emphasize that the choice between three fairly similar things is not a fair thing to give someone. Except, of course, if you're giving them a cupcake either way, in which case you're actually being quite considerate? The metaphor sort of breaks down if you examine it up close – but look, we're not complaining.

In fact, we want in on this action. Let's give this a shot: Namco is about to release Bionic Commando 5, Shigeru Miyamoto has been replaced by a team of robots, and Notch has just bought Electronic Arts. There – now if you're unhappy with our performance as games journalists, can we have some cupcakes too, please?

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