BioWare announced today Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, a downloadable content pack due this summer that adds cinematic sequences and epilogue to the arguably lackluster ending of the popular space-bound role-playing game.
To further sweeten the deal, BioWare will give away the enhanced Mass Effect 3 ending free to gamers on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 consoles until April 2014.
"The goal of the DLC is not to provide a new ending to the game, rather to offer fans additional context and answers to the end of Commander Shepard's story," a BioWare representative said in a blog post.
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In the weeks following the March 6 release of Mass Effect 3, many passionate gamers stormed social-media outlets, Amazon, Reddit, and even our Crave poll to voice their outrage about a limited conclusion that they argue didn't live up to prerelease promises.
"Since launch, we have had time to listen to the feedback from our most passionate fans and we are responding," said Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare. "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."
Early gamer reaction to the announcement appears positive, but skeptical.
"A clarification of the ending and it's free? It's definitely better than most us were expecting," a gamer using the name D3adOnArrival said on social-news site Reddit. "Then again, in the future I'd expect (hope) that it would never have to come to this again."
Do you play Mass Effect 3? If so, what's your take on BioWare's announcement?