After I hit start at the title screen to go to the main menu screen my game freezes with "Checking Downloadable Content" message on the screen. Anyone else having this problem and anyone else figure out a way to fix it?

I already went thru the Bioware forums and contacted EA. EA told me to clear my xbox cache. Did that, didn't help. Other people on the forums are having the same problem but no real solutions that I found.

To even play the single player game I have to disconnect the xbox from the network.

Have you tried clearing any DLC you do have and redownloading it? The only thing I can think of.

Yep. I deleted all the DLC.

EA suggested I clear the system cache, so I did that too. Next they said to delete all my game saves for ME3. That was painful because they do not allow you to make backup copies of ME3 saves :( I did that but it didn't help either.

I got an email from them today saying that my disks were probably dirty or damaged and I could make use of their 90 day return warranty. They aren't, I haven't even taken them out since I bought the game! it's the only thing I play on the xbox anymore besides a few marketplace games. Besides I can play single player as long as I remove the network cable first ... so the disks are fine.

Anyway, can't play multiplayer, my single player saves are now gone, kind of bummed out right now.

Man, I'm having the same problem. I popped the disc in brand new out of the box and I could never get past the "checking downloadable content" wait screen or (if I tried to login to Origin) the Origin wait screen. Have you had any luck?

if it worked properly then it wouldn't be EA

I - somehow - bypassed it by repeatedly hitting Y and A which got me to the the main menu. Although the game freezes if I hit multiplayer, but I'm able to play singleplayer without losing any progress or saves.

I'm still having the problem. I was able to get past it once and play a game of multiplayer but it locked up at the stats screen after the match. had to reset, then back to the same problem again :/ No more help from EA besides "send us your bad disks on warranty". It's not the disks.

Anyway I can still play single player if I unplug the network cable. I just can't play multiplayer.

The word over on the bioware forum is that this bug won't be addressed until the next round of DLC, at best. It's a more widespread problem than I imagined but no one is getting much of a response from EA/Bioware on it other than they are collecting user data and looking into it.

The whole experience has really turned me off to XBox online gaming and DLC. I called and cancelled my xboxlive membership and I threw my xbox Mass Effect copies into a box in the basement. The xbox isn't far behind. You know I did my part, bought it all day 1, paid full price, and it's been a pretty shitty experience all around. I don't think I'll be doing it again.

@tourgen said:

The word over on the bioware forum is that this bug won't be addressed until the next round of DLC, at best. It's a more widespread problem than I imagined but no one is getting much of a response from EA/Bioware on it other than they are collecting user data and looking into it.

The whole experience has really turned me off to XBox online gaming and DLC. I called and cancelled my xboxlive membership and I threw my xbox Mass Effect copies into a box in the basement. The xbox isn't far behind. You know I did my part, bought it all day 1, paid full price, and it's been a pretty shitty experience all around. I don't think I'll be doing it again.

So the thing is, a lot of times support people are idiots, reading off of a script. It should turn you off to listening to them blindly. It should turn you off of day one purchases, since that's when the problems arise. That's your issue here, not the system or the games.

I'm surprised you still manage to have a computer to type on when so much worse can happen on that... based on your behavior with this, you should have chucked your computer out of a window by now.

Sometimes things need to phone home. If a game, especially an EA game gets stuck on that download screen, it's because a server isn't responding properly. As you saw, pulling your cable fixed it. Plugging it in again after the DLC has been checked offline and reconnecting while still in-game via the guide should let you get into a multiplayer match, if you want.

I just had a similar problem this morning trying to install a game to my hard drive. It was stuck at 0% even though I had enough room for about 10 minutes each time. After 3 attempts, I unplugged the network cable and tried again. Surprise, surprise: it worked.

@onan said:

Sometimes things need to phone home. If a game, especially an EA game gets stuck on that download screen, it's because a server isn't responding properly. As you saw, pulling your cable fixed it. Plugging it in again after the DLC has been checked offline and reconnecting while still in-game via the guide should let you get into a multiplayer match, if you want.

I just had a similar problem this morning trying to install a game to my hard drive. It was stuck at 0% even though I had enough room for about 10 minutes each time. After 3 attempts, I unplugged the network cable and tried again. Surprise, surprise: it worked.

Thank you very much. I'm encountering the same problem you guys are describing. I was worried that I could not play this game anymore. It's a shame to see such big flaws in an AAA title like this one. But hey, like you guys said, it's EA so... Anyways, thanks for the help, now I can enjoy multiplayer again.

Solution to the "Checking Downloadable content" problem for future readers of this thread :

1) Unplug your network cable before launching Mass Effect 3

2) Launch Mass Effect 3

3) Press Start at the title screen, let the Menu appear

4) Plug in your network cable and reconnect to Xbox Live

5) Enjoy the game like you should

@Spidersonic said:

@onan said:

Sometimes things need to phone home. If a game, especially an EA game gets stuck on that download screen, it's because a server isn't responding properly. As you saw, pulling your cable fixed it. Plugging it in again after the DLC has been checked offline and reconnecting while still in-game via the guide should let you get into a multiplayer match, if you want.

I just had a similar problem this morning trying to install a game to my hard drive. It was stuck at 0% even though I had enough room for about 10 minutes each time. After 3 attempts, I unplugged the network cable and tried again. Surprise, surprise: it worked.

Thank you very much. I'm encountering the same problem you guys are describing. I was worried that I could not play this game anymore. It's a shame to see such big flaws in an AAA title like this one. But hey, like you guys said, it's EA so... Anyways, thanks for the help, now I can enjoy multiplayer again.

Solution to the "Checking Downloadable content" problem for future readers of this thread :

1) Unplug your network cable before launching Mass Effect 3

2) Launch Mass Effect 3

3) Press Start at the title screen, let the Menu appear

4) Plug in your network cable and reconnect to Xbox Live

5) Enjoy the game like you should

You might want to check your network or firewall settings, that's probably what's causing issues. Of course if you don't know how to do that, I guess what you're doing now is probably good enough.

@drGiggless said:

if it worked properly then it wouldn't be EA

EA's stuff generally works as far as I know. Obviously bugs like this happen, and aren't always solved in a timely manner, but their stuff still tends to be dependable.

@onan said:

You might want to check your network or firewall settings, that's probably what's causing issues. Of course if you don't know how to do that, I guess what you're doing now is probably good enough.

I'm using an optic fiber cable connection. All machines connected to my network got their own static IP. I know my router and firewall settings are ok because I've been using them for a long time, setting up Minecraft servers from time to time and playing a lot of multiplayer games on my PC. So I basically know how to do everything you said, it just doesn't seem to help at all. Since the "unplug your cable" solution seems to work, I think I'll just stick with it. Anyways, thanks for the help once again, I really appreciate. :)

My wife and I were able to fix this by signing out of xbox live, booting up the game, then once you're at the menu screen, sign into your profile. Then it will connect to the multiplayer, and not hang.

Hope that helps!

I've been reading all of this, and then found something that may work. I haven't tested out yet, but will shortly. I made an account specifically to post this for anyone who has this problem since I know how annoying it is, here it goes:

If you're encountering an error that causes freezing, or for the game to become unresponsive, at the Main Menu when the "Checking Downloadable Content" message appears on Mass Effect 3 for Xbox 360, try turning on "Auto Log-In to Origin (EA)."

To do this, follow these instructions:

1. Exit "Mass Effect 3" and return to the Xbox Dashboard.

2. Disconnect the console from the internet - if the console is not directly wired into the modem or router, unplug or disable the router / modem temporarily.

3. Launch "Mass Effect 3."

4. In the main menu, [Select Extras], [Select Options], [Select Online], [Turn on "Upload gameplay Feedback" and "Auto Log-In to Origin (EA)"]

5. Save your settings and exit the game.

6. Re-Connect your console to the internet.

7. Reboot your console and launch the game.

8. Your game should now bypass the "Checking Downloadable Content" screen.

Really hope it helps.

NEWS FLASH!

Just tried those steps, they work!

@CbK_o_RedBull: Thanks for the fix.

My solution was to stop playing Mass Effect 3 and never buying another EA game. Problem Solved.

Bumping an old thread, but I am playing Mass Effect 3 on PC and it locked up once on the "Checking Downloadable Content" screen for me once as well. I blame EA and their servers.