Zaph

At first I was against Bioware making any changes to the end of ME3, but today all the game journalists raging on about 'artistic integrity' made me realize something - why are we assuming video games are the only medium in existence that's immune to artistic compromise and corporate meddling?

We're assuming internally at Bioware everyone is completely happy with the current ending and sees it as their artistic vision and hates the idea of changing it. But don't the comments made prior to the release of ME3 by Casey Hudson (Lead Designer), which suggest a completely different type of ending, just prove that the artistic integrity was compromised way before fans even played the finished game?

What's to say there wasn't already a power struggle at Bioware (due to time/budget/resources compromise or maybe EA interference) and the fan reaction just aligns with the developers? For all we know this reaction just gave the developers an opportunity to do a Director's Cut and create the ending they always intended.

@Metal_Mills said:

@Milkman said:

@TeflonBilly said:

@Milkman said:

@Metal_Mills said:

, this whole petitioning and insulting cycle will just begin itself anew, and continue repeating itself until everyone gets the exact ending they want. Because that's how the world works now, I guess.

After 5 years, a MINIMUM of $180 and about 100 hours of time spent of their series, I think it's fair to ask for a decent ending. But how dare anyone complain about a bad thing. Shut up, accept what you're given, even though you paid for it, and never improve anything.

So, when Roger Ebert talks shit about games, they're art and he's an out of touch old asshole. But when you don't like something, games are nothing but products with their only responsibility being to please the consumer.

It doesn't work both ways.

I have a Blu-Ray set of Blade Runner which has 4 different cuts of the flick plus the workprint. Do movies cease to be art now?

Those different cuts are awful and mostly the result of corporate suits attempting to make Blade Runner more marketable. I'm not saying that this has never happened before but I am saying that when it does, it always really sucks.

The biggest problem is how these changes happened. The idea that if you type enough angry words about something into the internet the creator is required to change this to appease you is a dangerous precedent. And one that is absolutely terrifying for the future of this industry.

The ORIGINAL ending was a corporate cut and hated by Harrison Ford and Ridley Scott. BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THEM? It is what it is, right?

I would just like to say this is one of the most interesting exchanges I've ever read in the GB comments.

The Blade Runner arguement is even more interesting if we consider some of the comments by Casey Hudson (The 'Ridley Scott' in this analogy) prior to the release of ME3. He made it very clear that endings would not be simple "A, B or C" choices - which is exactly what we ended up with.

So who is to say the current ME3 ending is the artistic work of Casey Hudson and the creative team or just a series of compromises and meddling by corporates to make the game more marketable as a standalone product, à la the original Blade Runner cut?

Zero.

There are enough game journalists at Giant Bomb already, so if they ever have a spot available on the Bombcast/TNT/etc I would like to see it used by Dave or other people in the industry who don't have their own publication outlet - such as Jeff Green, Johnny V, Gary Whitta etc. Giving these spots to other journalists just comes across as redundant.

I have to echo Jeff's sentiments - this will not end well.

I too was very disappointed by the end of ME3, but this will not appease anyone and will probably just make things worse. Whether it's just an extended epilogue or a full-on retcon, fans will take issue with it.

And if we have to pay for it? Well EA will discover fans are willing to pay extra for a game ending...

When Jeff was fired for GameSpot, he had opportunities - a lot of opportunities. Instead of taking a well paid job and chillin, he went with a start-up and worked his ass off.

I think he deserves at least some benefit of the doubt...

This worries me - BermanBraun's Press Statement “With the addition of Whiskey’s first rate team and powerful, state of the art publishing, data and social tools platform..."

Does that mean BermanBraun gets the tech guys too? Does CBS only want the 'on-screen' talent from GB and Screen? That better include Vinny, Dave and Drew!

So if Tested, ComicVine, AnimeVice AND the WM content platform are being sold to BermanBraun, does that mean Giant Bomb and Screened will have to migrate to a new CBS-owned platform? Also, where do the tech guys like Dave, Vinny and Drew go? Do they stay with the platform (which means leaving GB) or do they stick with Giant Bomb?

Whiskey Media are launching their official channel on Xbox Live.

Just sayin'...

@TheDigitalistic said:

Future EASILY had the better soundtrack.

Come along children. We're going to have a little music, like old times, like old times. Look now, I'll start the melody on the organ!

Hellllloooooo Allison....