Mass Effect 3 Fan Charity Drive Ends Up Confusing People

I had a feeling this would cause some problems.

After fans went ballistic over the apparently unsatisfactory endings in Mass Effect 3, they were often accused of needlessly bashing a fine production and unsurprisingly, the entitlement issue arose.

In reply, some of those desiring a new ending for ME3 set up a system asking those interested to contribute to the Child's Play charity, which seeks to give video games to ailing kids in hospitals. However, the purpose of someone's donation was never really made clear, besides to sort of prove that the angry fans weren't as selfish as some believed. And as a result, the donation drive that was supposed to run through April 11 has been stopped.

The news came via Penny Arcade. Unsurprisingly, the big problem was that many contributing to the charity thought they were paying for BioWare to write a new ending; i.e., they had to reach a certain goal amount in donations. But this was never tied to BioWare in any way and furthermore, Child's Play project manager Jamie Dillon was "buried under mail" wanting to know how much money was necessary for a new ending. PayPal has contacted the charity on account of the "high number of donors" who are now requesting refunds.

In the future, as stated by Penny Arcade's Jerry Holkins: "Child's Play cannot be a tool to draw attention to a cause. Child's Play must be the Cause." Yeah, well, that makes sense, doesn't it?

Related Game(s): Mass Effect 3

Tags: me3, mass effect 3, bioware, childs play charity, me3 ending

3/25/2012 8:16:42 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (40 posts)

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TheAgingHipster
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 9:44:16 PM
Reply

I figured that's how it would end. Validating a selfish goal with a selfless method can never lead to good things.

Additionally, I love that quote from Holkins.

3 up, 1 down

JLB1
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 9:45:46 PM
Reply

You can't see me right now, but I'm shaking my head. Some people are just downright stupid.

1 up, 1 down

Masterofallz
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 9:52:28 PM
Reply

"What? No! I don't want to donate to helpless CHILDREN! I WANT MY NEW MASS EFFECT ENDING!"

9 up, 1 down

Gabriel013
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 7:24:32 AM

I think the down voter missed the sarcasm here.

2 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 11:01:10 AM

haha, excellent post.

2 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:01:17 PM
Reply

It's a shame that this is what occupied the headlines. In the same period news broke that Crapcom locked out a ton of content that is already on the SFxT disc and plans to charge another 40 some odd dollars to unlock it. That should have taken priority over this. ME3 having an "unsatisfactory" ending is small beans compared to the rip off Crapcom once again deployed on unsuspecting gamers.

"Child's Play cannot be a tool to draw attention to a cause. Child's Play must be the Cause."

This is pretty much the point some of us were trying to make in the last article about this charity. These raging nerds were just trying to save face. Charity is great but do it because you want to. Not to prove to fellow Internet dweebs that you're not a selfish, whiny, brat of a gamer.

Last edited by Jawknee on 3/25/2012 10:05:31 PM

3 up, 4 down

JLB1
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:10:12 PM

I hope Capcom doesn't pull that stunt with Dragon's Dogma. If all goes well, that'd be the FIRST Capcom game I purchase this gen. If not, I'll be putting on my big boy pants and try to suck it up.

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:29:34 PM

I would just wait and buy it used if I were you. That's what I plan on doing with Resident Evil 6. I would have done that with SFxT but it was given to me as a gift from my sister who doesn't know enough about games or Crapcom to avoid their scams.

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:32:13 PM

It did get headlines, but I think the ruination (in fans eyes) of one of this generation's top trilogies is bigger news than Capcom going for a cash grab like they always do.

Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/25/2012 10:33:29 PM

2 up, 0 down

JLB1
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:42:08 PM

@Jawknee

Well, I'll be keeping a close eye on the game. If nothing smells fishy, I'll get it new to support the title in hopes for a sequel. But if Capcom tries to pull anything, I'll either wait for a price drop or opt for it used. Right now, though, Dragon's Dogma is shaping up to be a sleeper hit.

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:53:38 PM

Yea it did but I guess I just mean people's priories are out of whack(which shouldn't surprise me). The more bad publicity Crapcom receives, the more pressure it might put on them to at least acknowledge why people are pissed. Outrage over Crapcom scamming people out of content they already paid for is more justified than a being a disappointed in a crappy ending in my opinion.

3 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:25:39 PM

I hate to say it Jawknee, but I think Capcom has somehow gotten a pass this generation. Nobody will truly call them out for dickish moves the way we have for SE and Bioware.

Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/25/2012 11:27:43 PM

2 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:33:31 PM

It's gotten to their head too. Any complaints made at Capcom Unity will get you banned or the threat of a ban.

0 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 12:07:36 AM

Mass Effect is more important franchise this gen than anything Capcom has released.If wasn't for ME3 ignite so much train wreck this spot would be for Capcom.They are really lucky all this chaos with ME3 happened.

1 up, 0 down

aaronisbla
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:37:06 AM

they are charging.........for colors now.... i really think i may never buy another capcom game

0 up, 0 down

bebestorm
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:06:41 PM
Reply

"the big problem was that many contributing to the charity thought they were paying for BioWare to write a new ending" LOL Seriously what is wrong with people. People hate on dlc but their willing to give money to Bioware to rewrite the ending?

1 up, 0 down

Victor321
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:22:15 PM
Reply

I'm a very die-hard ME fan (been playing the series since 2007), but I didn't donate because of the very same reasons people like Jawknee and TheAgingHispter have mentioned.

Unlike many, I didn't mind the lack of closure because as the credits were rolling, I closed my eyes and put my hands to my head and reminisced about everything I did in the trilogy with my first every playthrough, Victor Shepard :)

I didn't mind the lack of closure because (in part having a great imagination) I wondered and assumed the fates of many of my squadmates, the various races, etc. I philosophized about whether my decision was morally right or not, despite finding out that the endings are a simple matter of "choose your favourite colours".

In my personal experience, the fact that Bioware are creating Ending DLCs are unnecessary, but fine to me :) it's a win-win in my circumstance as I was one of the few who objectively and subjectively, liked the ending.

And as a sidenote, I don't really like the notion of something as a "work of art", as was mentioned in the written letters from Bioware the past two weeks. A true work of art, whether criticised or not, speaks for itself and stands on its own shoes, so to speak.

People that directly call out that their works of art come off as pretentious, from my perspective.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:38:14 PM

I disagree about the pretention, since the creation of a game includes most artistic disciplines available (writing, acting, set pieces, music, technical effects, cinematography, etc) that it's okay to consider a game an artistic statement.

The thing about games is, they are by their very nature a flexible work of art that changes as we interact with it.

3 up, 0 down

ZettaiSeigi
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 2:11:26 AM

Got to agree with you there World. I don't mind it when a few lingering questions are left unanswered. Sometimes it's a great way to segue to the next game. But not on Mass Effect 3. The game is supposed to be the final game. It is a trilogy, after all. Or at least it is supposed to be one.

Aside from that, the ending had too many gaping plotholes to be desired. While I won't take drastic steps like other Mass Effect fans did, I would appreciate a little more closure about the characters I cared about.

I want more closure not because I feel entitled to one, but only because it's the sort of expectation that Bioware had set on the minds of the Mass Effect fans before ME3 was released.

Personally, this situation is almost no different to the entire FF XIII fiasco. It disappointed a lot of its existing fanbase and you can't blame them for voicing their opinions (granted that there are fans who take things a bit too seriously).

1 up, 0 down

xenris
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 12:01:34 PM

Maybe you didn't mind the lack of closure and thats totally cool thats your opinion and how you felt. But Bioware sold their product on this whole "your choice matters, and that there would be an uncountable amount of endings."

This is why the ME3 ending was bad. They SOLD their product on lies. Even days before the game was launched their are quotes from the devs on how the ending would provide closure and how they couldn't think of a better way to wrap up the series.

Apparently ripping of Deus Ex almost to the T was the best way to end it?

Just because you didn't mind the ending and others didn't doesn't mean that the ending isn't objectively terrible.

I respect people who are satisfied with the ending, however I doubt they were either A) really attached to the series, B) didn't see how terrible and full of contradictions and plot wholes the ending was, or C) they buy the indoctrination theory and are content with the fact that shepard only defeated the reapers in his mind and that the game actually didn't end and the reapers are still fighting the rest of the galaxy.

While we are talking about Crapcom, yeah I am never buying another capcom game new full price again. Lost Planet 2 was the last lol, I am extremely interested in Dragons Dogma but I will hold off for a while.

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 10:30:39 PM
Reply

What a bunch of retards that got confused. Giving to charity to raise awareness of important issues has been done for ages. It isn't anybody's fault if some nimrods think the money is going somewhere it isn't. Research before you donate; in America (apparently) money is a free speech statement.

0 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:25:04 PM

I really don't think anything about this was clear, especially when it first started. I think that was part of the problem.

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:27:23 PM

It was clear to me, cast your vote by donating to a good cause, get good numbers, get your message across using those numbers. Classic tactic.

0 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:51:45 PM

Oh come on. You know as well as I do that people only read headlines, and they NEVER read between the lines. ;)

3 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 2:54:35 PM

Those people deserve to lose their money. A fool and his money are soon parted.

2 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 11:16:57 PM
Reply

I'm starting to dislike the Mass Effect fanbase in general. -_- wonder if another fanbase gonna top them this year on being the worst.

Last edited by Oxvial on 3/25/2012 11:17:42 PM

0 up, 1 down

Pandacastro
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 12:43:45 AM

If capcom annouces a ultimate SF X tekken then its probably going to be them.

0 up, 0 down

Pandacastro
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 12:42:05 AM
Reply

They should have just waited for bioware to announce the real ending or a patch that fixes it. Then they could have save there money.

0 up, 0 down

___________
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 2:56:05 AM
Reply

ive said it once, twice and ill say it again.
it never ceases to amaze me peoples reading comprehension on the internet!
or should i say lack thereof.

0 up, 0 down

JaktheDaxter
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 9:47:46 AM
Reply

capcom isn't charging for colors...
$20 is the price for the 12 characters on disc...
costumes are like 3 or 4 bucks...

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:59:22 PM

Actually the costumes are going to be a buck a piece. Still a rip off when that content is already on the disc.

0 up, 0 down

JaktheDaxter
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 9:49:14 AM
Reply

^ was a reply further up... (ps3 web browser)

Last edited by JaktheDaxter on 3/26/2012 9:52:19 AM

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 11:04:02 AM
Reply

huh...

And I thought us FF die-hards had our heads in the clouds. lol

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:01:38 PM

Ha.....just Cloud

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:19:14 PM

zing!

0 up, 0 down

PC_Max
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 2:01:45 PM
Reply

Interesting approach, long winded, but good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqAhKW7498&feature=player_embedded#!

0 up, 0 down

anjpikapp3
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 3:57:42 PM
Reply

This is what I said in an earlier post about charity and the reason to give. People now want their money back because they thought they were giving it to a charity that would re-write an ending of a game? Seriously? how about just giving to charity....just helping and giving because its a good thing not because you want something out of it. Now the money that should have gone to kids in hospitals is going to sit in limbo because some a-hole would rather have his money go to a game he/she already paid for then someone in need.

Really is sad to watch what we become...

0 up, 0 down

tes37
Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 7:23:47 PM
Reply

These people are worse than I was giving them credit for. They should all play the game again just to make sure they paid attention.

0 up, 0 down

Ather
Thursday, March 29, 2012 @ 3:22:25 PM
Reply

So the idiots just hurt a charity. Way to go, oh selfless, unentitleds ones. Next time, spell out everything, like you're talking to a 4 year old. Include important points like, BioWare will NEVER rewrite the ending, no matter how much you donate. This is just to make us look good. Less confusion this way.

And even if a new ending was made, you'd still ahve to pay for it. You really want to pay BioWare to make a new ending, then pay to d/l the ending? Or buy a whole new disc with the new ending on it? I know nobody is stupid enough to think they'd get a new ending for free.

Then again, it never stated you were donating to get a new ending, so it's the donors fault for assuming.

0 up, 0 down

SS4
Friday, March 30, 2012 @ 8:48:53 AM
Reply

Good thing some ppl dont watch animé. Have u seen some endings like Evangelion, Berserk, Gantz.... those are horrible and are due to budget cut or cancellation of the show. Now ppl complaining about an ending that was meant to be this way... I dont know what to say.

But i've said so in a previous news: if we let the angry player lead the game direction we end up like that Car Homer designed in the Simpsons....

0 up, 0 down

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