Mass Effect 3 Objections

[Boss1000]

What do you guys think of this? If you don't have 20 minutes, here's the skinny: ME3 Deluxe ($20 more) has exclusive content, but it appears to be pretty crucial content that is more than an extra weapon or armor. It was obviously made before the game was released, and this guy is pissed.

My comment on the video:

This is a shame, but I don't find it as offending as others. It's always been the case that developers create what they find to be appropriate for the price tag, perhaps not including created content.

I could expand upon that, but it's PUG Night.

[TheSexyAlbexican]

I'm not a fan. If you watched the video, fully, you know the spoiler, but just in case...

Spoiler!

The crew member is a Prothean. A PROTHEAN. That is huge, just like TotalBiscuit said. Having access to something like that restricted on Day 1 for $10 isn't cool. Read this. Something about that explanation doesn't sit well with me. It was done by a separate team, after the core game was finished, okay, that makes sense. But doesn't that mean it was planned during the development process, like Zaeed was? Further, if they wanted the Prothean to be available for everyone who buys any copy of the game, why not make it free, just like they did before? I feel like the reason they weren't at liberty to discuss what the secret character/mission for the CE was was because they had a feeling there'd be a bunch of upset fans at this. I also hate this quote:

The Prothean is optional content that is certainly designed to appeal to long-time fans, which is why he is part of the CE offering (the version many fans would be likely to purchase).

That sounds like they're deliberately exploiting the people who've been playing the game since ME1, or care at all about the lore, which is a huge part of what makes ME enjoyable. That's squeezing money out of the players forcefully. It doesn't sit well with me at all.

[Boss1000]

If anything, those loyal to the series should get him cheaper (or something to that effect). Like, if you imported your save from ME2 that had played through ME1, you get him. That would have been neat, if also exploited. But you see my point.

It's so, so easy to get mad at a chance for Bioware to make more money, but it is lame. Not lame enough, however, that I will cancel my pre-order...

[TheSexyAlbexican]

I have yet to pre-order. I can wait a bit longer.

[Greg Hughes]

This is kind of a hard issue because there's so much to toss back and forth.

Bioware said it takes about three months from going gold to actual release for bug fixes and such so they had a separate team working on this particular DLC. The main team had officially completed the game and was simply working on bug fixes before the final product is out the door. This makes sense why they would make it DLC but to me it makes me question the potential quality of it.

While this DLC contains a very interesting character that's an insane find for the universe, it's not VITAL to the story that Bioware wants to tell.

On the other hand:
The price tag is fucking steep for those who bought the regular game and not the deluxe or collectors editions. It's a character addition and a small side story. Since the CE is sold out in most places, it does put a lot of people in a bad position. This one is EA's fault.

They should have found a way to make the Cerberus network idea work again for ME3 and released this character to anyone who bought a new copy of the game. Still a slightly underhanded option but it was a good one to combat used game sales.

In summary, the idea for it being DLC is justified in my eyes. The fact that it's expensive for those who just bought the regular game is not. If they brought the price down I'd be fine with it.

It sucks that the gamer entitlement argument has to be brought up for so many major releases of games these days.

[Dirka]

Capitalism yo

[FreakTheKing]

I have a problem with it, because in my opinion, the community as a whole can still wait a bit longer for this game, if it means that we get this DLC with the game.

When I saw the DLC announcement before the game came out I was like, "Really? You're really going to blatantly milk us of our money with this shitty DLC teaser pic before the game even comes out?" Then I found out it was [A SUPER IMPORTANT PART OF THE LORE YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE]!?

It's like ordering a cake, except to find out that it's missing a seriously huge slice. I don't approve.

[TheSexyAlbexican]

I've been playing more ME2, and thinking about everything about this a bit more. This article sums up my feelings pretty well. I'm angry about it, and originally I said I wasn't going to buy the game... but DAMN do I love Mass Effect. I'm probably going to get the Digital Deluxe edition, because fucking SOUNDTRACKS AND SHIT. Gah. I really, REALLY want to play this game, and have a new Mass Effect experience to enjoy again and again. I have no willpower, I must have this.

[chezwaldo]

I've been playing more ME2, and thinking about everything about this a bit more. This article sums up my feelings pretty well. I'm angry about it, and originally I said I wasn't going to buy the game... but DAMN do I love Mass Effect. I'm probably going to get the Digital Deluxe edition, because fucking SOUNDTRACKS AND SHIT. Gah. I really, REALLY want to play this game, and have a new Mass Effect experience to enjoy again and again. I have no willpower, I must have this.

respect--;

[booyeah]

I've been playing more ME2, and thinking about everything about this a bit more. This article sums up my feelings pretty well. I'm angry about it, and originally I said I wasn't going to buy the game... but DAMN do I love Mass Effect. I'm probably going to get the Digital Deluxe edition, because fucking SOUNDTRACKS AND SHIT. Gah. I really, REALLY want to play this game, and have a new Mass Effect experience to enjoy again and again. I have no willpower, I must have this.

That's pretty much the end of the debate right there. They have made a product, which many people will purchase, and while we might not think the package is as attractive at $70 or $80 as it would be at $60, they clearly haven't priced the product at a point we won't absorb. It's also kinda nice because you know that the $60 product is going to be a good game too, so if you're a consumer on a tight budget, you can take that option instead and probably still get a good experience.

What I think we should be angry about instead is why the DLC costs $10 bucks. That's 1/6th the game's price, and I would be shocked if it cost nearly 1/6th of just the content development budget of the main game. (I'm leaving out engine programming intentionally here). The profit margin on the DLC has to be miles better than the core game