Some staff at The Joypads have been long time fans of the Mass Effect series for a while now, and as a fan of BioWare and its games, however, one person doesn't see what all the rage and frustration is about. This is of course in regards to the latest piece of news about the accidentally revealed Mass Effect 3 DLC, “From Ashes”. It has received a lot of bad responses throughout the internet for what the DLC contains, specifically, its new squad mate. [WARNING: Contains DLC Spoilers]
The latest game in BioWare’s fantasy role-playing series went through ten years of development turmoil
In early November, on the eve of the crucial holiday shopping season, staffers at the video-game studio BioWare were feeling optimistic. After an excruciating development cycle, they had finally released their latest game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the early reception was largely positive. The role-playing game was topping sales charts on Steam, and solid, if not spectacular, reviews were rolling in.
Its easy they called the die hard fans people in their nerd caves who will buy anything and then went woke to reach modern audiences....insulting the nerds in their caves along the way showing utter contempt for their fan base. very hapy it failed and any company who insults their fan base and treat their customers with contempt and insults, in future, i also hope fail.
It’s disappointing but not surprising to see what's happening with Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the broader situation at BioWare. The layoffs are tragic — no one wants to see talented developers lose their jobs. But when studios repeatedly create games that alienate their own fanbase, outcomes like this become unfortunately predictable.
There’s a pattern we’re seeing far too often: beloved franchises are revived, only to be reshaped into something almost unrecognizable. Changes are made that no one asked for, often at the expense of what originally made these games special. Then, when long-time fans express concern or lose interest, they’re told, “This game might not be for you.” But when those same fans heed that advice and don’t buy the game, suddenly they're labeled as toxic, sexist, bigoted, or worse.
Let’s be clear: the overwhelming majority of gamers have no issue with diversity, LGBTQ+ representation, or strong female leads. In fact, some of the most iconic characters in gaming — like Aloy, Ellie, or FemShep — are proof that inclusivity and excellent storytelling can and do go hand in hand. The issue arises when diversity feels performative, forced, or disconnected from the narrative — when characters or themes are inserted not to serve the story, but to satisfy a corporate DEI checklist. Audiences can tell the difference.
When studios chase approval from a vocal minority that often doesn’t even buy games — while simultaneously dismissing loyal fans who actually do — they risk not just the success of individual titles, but the health of their entire studio. Telling your core customers “don’t buy it if you don’t like it” is not a viable business strategy. Because guess what? Many of us won’t. And when the game fails commercially, blaming those very fans for not supporting it is both unfair and self-defeating.
Gamers aren’t asking for less diversity or less progress. We’re asking for better writing, thoughtful character development, and a respect for the franchises we’ve supported for decades. When you give people great games that speak to them — whether they’re old fans or new players — they will show up. But if you keep making games for people who don’t play them, don’t be surprised when those who do stop showing up
I thought the writing and character development were fine. Sometimes things just dont resonate with people.
EA just hosted its quarterly financial conference call, and its executives have been asked to comment about the recent price hikes for games.
Today, Electronic Arts announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2025, alongside the full year.
Split Fiction has sold nearly 4 million copies, and the next battlefield is confirmed for a release by March 2026 with a reveal this Summer.
At this point I don't think I am a ME fan. Made the mistake on getting ME2 expecting an RPG but got a shooter instead. Now with Bioware trying to damage control and call it hype I'm not even feeling anything for what was at least a decent shooter. Even though the story's surrounding it is slipshod.
@StewartN7:
Seriously - are you a Bioware employee?
I've literally just said I have issue with *ME2's* story, enough to make me not want to get ME3 at least on the first day - and you make a f***ing sales pitch for ME3!
People did overact well too much over this, but I do see their point. I like how Bioware justify's their reasoning. This piece of DLC has clearly been in the works before the game has gone gold... Has it gone gold? Regardless of the official release dates it has been?
Anyway, roll on March 9th! Cannot wait to get my hands on the game. Lucky Americans getting it on March 6th! haha
People need to give things a chance before they start to actually complain. Mass Effect 3 will be worth the money in my opinion, that's why I'm getting the N7 edition. I'm more intrigued than anything else now to find out how this actually plays out.
Never really bother me that much but maybe they should of mention it sooner rather at this point before release, because its getting hard to find a CE. Most places I go to only got the standard edition now :(. I'm not interested in a digital version.
Very eloquent take on this situation: http://www.youtube.com/watc...