In response to consumer complaints about the ending of Bioware's Mass Effect 3, Electronic Arts announced a new free downloadable content pack that will "expand upon events at the end" of the game, EA said Tuesday.
The "Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut" offer expires on April 12, 2014, EA said. To take advantage of it, gamers must own the full game, have an account with EA's Origin service, and either download it from Origin, the Xbox Live Marketplace or the PlayStation store. The content itself is due "this summer," EA said.
The Extended Cut pack includes new "cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes," EA said, adding that "the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut will give fans seeking further clarity to the ending of Mass Effect 3 deeper insights into how their personal journey concludes."
"We have reprioritized our post-launch development efforts to provide the fans who want more closure with even more context and clarity to the ending of the game, in a way that will feel more personalized for each player," Casey Hudson, executive producer of the Mass Effect series, said in a statement.
It wasn't immediately clear what happens after the offer expires. EA representatives didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mass Effect 3 sold 890,000 copies in its first 24 hours on the market, but in the weeks since its release, a growing number of fans expressed disappointment with the game's ending. One fan was reportedly so peeved that he filed a false advertising complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
On Mar. 21, the BioWare said it would address the complaints, promising a DLC pack that would help answer the questions, providing "more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey," Ray Muzyka, the co-founder of BioWare, said in a blog post.Muzyka publicly supported the game's design team. "We are all incredibly proud of Mass Effect 3 and the work done by Casey Hudson and team," Muzyka said Thursday in a statement. "Since launch, we have had time to listen to the feedback from our most passionate fans and we are responding. With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we think we have struck a good balance in delivering the answers players are looking for while maintaining the team's artistic vision for the end of this story arc in the Mass Effect universe."
For more, check out 5 Things to Try in Mass Effect 3 and the slideshow below.
Additional reporting by Chloe Albanesius.
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