What Mass Effect 3′s Ending Taught Us: Statistically Speaking

RGN writes, "Mass Effect 3, perhaps one of the most loved and talked about titles in Bioware’s history as game developers, can’t seem to shake the heat when it comes to fan reception of the title’s ending. With positive response from the Citadel DLC the EA published developer has redeemed themselves with fans and given a satisfying evidence of proof that they will take the series in the direction fans want with future titles. This pleased fans and opened new hope for Mass Effect 4 (whenever it eventually becomes announced) being the genre-defining branching-storyline game they all know it’s capable of being."

[PhiMattic]

I really hope bioware uses the citadel model for future endings from here on out.

[Number-Nine]

taught me that we the gamers have the power and not the other way around.

[ApolloTheBoss]

It taught me that gaming isn't everything and that was a valuable lesson.

[grifter024]

It taught me that when you ruin an ending the entire franchise is tarnished. I have no idea why the article says
"Citadel," Made all fans happy for the ending, when the DLC isn't even ending material and it's suppose to happen BEFORE the IM mission.

[Roccetarius]

I can never look at the games the same anymore. ME3 definitely ruined it for me.

[00]

It taught me to never trust game journalists.

[aliengmr]

Nailed it.

[Lucreto]

It is still one of my favourite franchise this generation even though I started on ME2.

After the ending I went back and read some of the Bioware interviews and it matched up to how they would end it.

Gamers made a lot of assumption before it was released and when it didn't match up to their expectations they cried foul.

[Sovereign59]

They promised something like 16 drastically different endings. After the release of the Extended Cut, we have 4...

[Lucreto]

I counted 16 ending in total

1. If your readiness rating is below 1,750 points Earth is destroyed regardless of the choice to destroy or control the reapers

2. At a 1750 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers Earth is destroyed

3. At a 2050 readiness rating if you choose to become a reaper Earth is saved

4.At a 2350 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers earth is devastated but still there

5. At a 2650 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers Earth is saved

6. At a 2800 readiness rating you're able to create synergy between organics and synthetics, saving earth and the galaxy

7. At a 4000 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers and "saved" Anderson, Shepard lives

8. At a 5000 readiness rating, if you choose to destroy the reapers and did not "save" Anderson, Shepard lives

If you imported a save where the Collector's base was destroyed or you didn't import a mass effect 2 save, then these are your possible ending:

9. If your readiness rating is below 1750 points earth is destroyed regardless if you choose to destroy or control the reapers

10. At a 1750 readiness rating if you choose to control the reapers earth is saved

11. At a 1900 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers earth is devastated but still there

12. At a 2350 readiness rating if you choose to control the reapers earth is saved

13. At a 2650 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers earth is saved

14. At a 2800 readiness rating you are able to create synergy between organics and synthetics saving earth and the galaxy

15. At a 4000 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers and "saved" Anderson, Shepard lives

16. At a 5000 readiness rating if you choose to destroy the reapers and did not "save" Anderson, Shepard lives

As I said people made a lot of assumptions that the endings will be different.

[Sovereign59]

Those are all very small differences, nothing drastically deviates from destroy, synthesize, control, and refuse. An actual quote from the developers:
“This story arc is coming to an end with this game. That means the endings can be a lot more different. At this point we’re taking into
account so many decisions that you’ve made as a player and reflecting a lot of that stuff. It’s not even in any way like the traditional game
endings, where you can say how many endings there are or whether you got
ending A, B, or C.”

[aliengmr]

I had no spoilers going into it but my assumption was that it would be structured in the same way as ME2s ending. Except bigger and more intense. More deciding who does what job and whether I had prepared enough.

It was just a standard mission capped off by a holographic insult and confusion.

[aLucidMind]

Taught me to look more closely at what is going on between a publisher/developer and game journalists like IGN and made me realize that their relationship is clearly "Scratch my back, I suck your dick". Just look at how rabidly hateful IGN was towards anyone that didn't like ME3's ending, then they claim not long ago the ending was poorly done. Proof of a payoff is right there and with Chobot being in the game.

[Hitman0769]

scratch my back ill suck your pimple, put my girl in the game i'll rub your wrinkle ;)