Professional video game reviewers have a responsibility, not to the companies that create the games, but to the community and readers. Journalism is meant to be unbiased, and I can understand that this may be hard when dealing with an interactive medium, yet the backlash from the fan outcry for a new ending for Mass Effect 3 feels like a different beast unto itself due to the attention it is bringing to biased video game journalism.
It has been a long known fact that gaming sites and reviewers receive free content such as games and consoles for reviewing purposes. There have been cases of financial gain, reviewers being bought off by a company to boost sales. Now the question arises, is this the current case and state of things? Are these sites and reviews to be trusted anymore, or are the reviews based solely on the procurement of free swag. Now sites such as IGN feel to be completely in the pocket of gaming manufactures by supporting the companies rather than the medium.
They are insulting fans that feel offended due to valid reason that has been discussed on many forums and sites that are easily accessible to the public, (far to many to list but easy to find with a fast search around the net). Rather than approaching the problems the consumer has with the product they are claiming the complaints to be in the nature of “entitlement” while offering pretty entitled stance themselves. When you are the key holders to public opinion and consumers trust in that opinion, the feeling or realization that you may be offering your services to better the companies you are reviewing is down right horrifying. What is equally scary is if they actually believe the asinine and immature statements they are releasing in current articles involving the Mass Effect revolt. Have they forgotten that they exist to supply information to the public and not to insult it? That the people they are insulting are the people who keep the sites alive? Perhaps these are the reasons for the outlandish bashing of fans, but my feeling is that they have simply forgotten that the user is the medium.
Do you remember the choose your own adventure book series? You would choose the path of the story based on your decisions. When I was a kid I thought that they were the most amazing thing to fall from the gods of literature in the history of forever. I was young unread, but this applies to what is currently happening, because years later the gaming community experienced that ephemeral moment of my life again only this time it stuck.
The Mass Effect series has become not only a cornerstone in how to make a great game, it has become a cornerstone in how to make great science fiction, and hell I’ll even say a great story in general. At it’s core what everyone enjoyed most with Mass Effect was the story telling; the ability to choose your own adventure, the ability to veer away from the per-ordained script of the gaming industry and become an active participant in the events that would transpire. To take this away from the series at the very last moment is like having no finesse while pulling the table cloth out from under a fantastic meal. Ta Da! *Smash*
When you promise the gaming consumer an experience that is not part of the final product, you are not only betraying trust, you are committing false advertising. Mass Effect 3 promised that every decision made throughout the series would effect “multiple” endings, and this in itself was a lie. The problem that the gaming community is having currently is this betrayal, this lie that Bioware boldly sold their product on. There has been speculation that there are other endings and this was the companies plan all along; to sell the “real” ending a month later at a cost, and that the real ending is already on the disc somewhere. If this is true the betrayal will run deeper.
If review sites and reviewers themselves can't see the problems people have with being manipulated, purchasing a product that they feel does not rise to the standard they were promised and wanting a change, these sites and reviewers, much like the company at fault, are no longer to be trusted.
So why is this event so important, not only gamers, but consumers in general? It is setting a president for product satisfaction in an industry where people have complained before, but never in my humble opinion with such valid reason, and having that products sales directly effected almost immediately. The price of a brand new copy of Mass Effect 3 has dropped significantly on Amazon.com and the game has only been available for a week. The evidence is finally in the face of a video game company that the consumers can and will effect sales if they feel the product is not worth the price of admission.
Currently a page on Facebook, DemandABetterEndingToMassEffect3, has over 20,700 followers and rising. This may not be a wowing figure or event to some, but please take this into account. SIDE NOTE: The page is hosting a page on chipin with proceeds going to “The Child's Play charity”, a charity dedicated to providing video games for the patients at children’s hospitals all over the world. The current proceeds are in the excess of $6,500.00, demonstrating just how much the gaming community cares, and not only about their cause. While these gamers with hearts of gold are fighting their fight with respectful letters and charities, reviewers are fighting with harsh words and Bioware with last minute deals on their website. The fight is not over however, and we are sure to see more to come.
Hold the line!
Donate to a good cause on the chipin Child’s Play charity here ==> http://retakemasseffect.chipin.com/retake-mass-effect-childs-play
The Mass Effect Series has spawned a wide array of merchandise including a clothing and comic book line.