Will there be future Mass Effect 3 content? (POLL)

So really, I want your thoughts. Collect all of our March 2013 reflections and reactions here, in one thread.

Please answer the poll truthfully, and if you like, answer the following questions below (copy and paste them for easy formatting):

1. What was your answer?

2. Why did you pick your answer?

3. If you think content is coming, what do you think it will (or hopefully will) contain? If you don't think content is coming, what content would you want Bioware would release, if they were to release content?

4. If you think content is coming, when do you think it will be released, and in what form? (paid, free, other) If you don't think content is coming, what timeframe and form would you want it to come out as?

5. Where are you standing with Bioware and EA regarding Mass Effect? Are you just ok with an IT reveal of any sort? Are you going to withhold money from them no matter what they do now? Somewhere in between?

6. Any other comments here.

1. What was your answer?
-Yes, and it will advance IT aspects, and finish the War with the Reapers.

2. Why did you pick your answer?
-I believe there is enough foreshadowing and hints from Bioware and ME3 that there is a true reveal coming, and it will be extensive enough to count as at least a partial-expansion to the game.
I think it'll finish the war with the Reapers and finish off at least most of Shepard and Harbinger's role in the Mass Effect world, but the Reapers may exist in some form afterward. The Cycle, however, will be broken.

3. If you think content is coming, what do you think it will (or hopefully will) contain? If you don't think content is coming, what content would you want Bioware would release, if they were to release content?
-London (at dawn), Rio, other Earth content?, Illium?, Ilos?, Reaper Headquarters?
-Synergy with Multiplayer content and 'plot progression'
-Possibly some access to all other squadmates other than Mordin/Thane/Legion/Morinth. Basically, finishing the game still puts us before Cronos Station, where we have the choice to advance the actual story again, or stick around in Fake-Silversun Strip and dick around in the Armax Arena.
-Any missing multiplayer weapons that Shepard doesn't have access to yet.

4. If you think content is coming, when do you think it will be released, and in what form? (paid, free, other) If you don't think content is coming, what timeframe and form would you want it to come out as?
-Next month, by the middle of it we'd get at minimum an announcement. Possibly episodes that connect to new MP events.
-Possibly free single player content (to get the ending we 'already paid for'), but this content will be HEAVILY dependent on having files from ALL 3 games and ALL DLC. Yes, Rachni, Shadow Broker story, and other small decisions would play an impact and push players to get all content before doing the finale.
-Multiplayer would work on microtransactions like before.

5. Where are you standing with Bioware and EA regarding Mass Effect? Are you just ok with an IT reveal of any sort? Are you going to withhold money from them no matter what they do now? Somewhere in between?
-If they release nothing, I'm done with EA/Bioware, and they'll have to do a ton to get me to care again.
-If they release stuff but it doesn't reveal squat soon and just teases 'ME4', they'll have to try a lot to get my interested, as I'm not getting next-gen consoles at this rate.
-If they have IT reveal and treat it respectfully and awesomely, and especially if its free, I'm cool with them, and supportive of most of their actions (PERSONALLY).

6. Any other comments here.
-IT FTW?
-I actually think that basic understanding of Indoctrination is important, but only the first layer.
-The second layer is that we're dealing with Harbinger specific indoctrination, and Shepard never even did the beam run, as his shuttle crashed. He's recounting the entire game, and Harbinger is injecting poison into his memories via the boy and 3 dreams.
-The third layer is optional and is Citadel DLC. It's Shepard doing loops in his mind until he finally picks Destroy (this is due to natural resistance to Indoctrination, part of a possibly larger plotline in future games regarding humanity and their evolution). Citadel is both a Reaper trap, but also Shepard's final inspiration to kick the Reapers' asses. In essence, it's the last thing Shepard really experiences before the breath scene.

Current tally:

No --> 3
Maybe/Maybe Not --> 7
Yes (in some form) --> 6

Keep on truckin :)

1. What was your answer?

"Yes, and it will advance IT aspects, but not finish the War."

2. Why did you pick your answer?

To be honest, I really don't know if we'll get anything for ME3. At this point it wouldn't even surprise me if we had to wait until ME4, even though I'd absolutely hate that.

All I know is that there is SO MUCH hinting and foreshadowing going on, that I'm absolutely sure something is eventually coming. I just don't know when.

3. If you think content is coming, what do you think it will (or hopefully will) contain? If you don't think content is coming, what content would you want Bioware would release, if they were to release content?

At this point, I would be content with an epilogue that revealed the true consequences of our choices. (Shepard becomes indoctrinated agent in control, kills loved ones and friends, humanity is harvested in synthesis, and Shepard goes to town as the new human Reaper, Shepard wakes up in destroy, with the Reapers still around).

I am hoping for some kind of epic suicide mission that includes all squadmates from all games. Maybe to take out Harbinger, or to get onto the Citadel and blow up the crucible (which we find out to be a trap), but at this point I would be content if we just get a reveal and leave things hanging for ME4.

I am hoping for something that gives us a pay-off for all our decisions. (Both in good and bad ways)

If you picked control, your Shepard will kill Liara as Liara's piano tune from the Citadel DLC plays.

If you picked destroy, the Rachni queen (if you saved her) will help and cleanse the taint of indoctrination from your mind.

Etcetera, etcetera.

4. If you think content is coming, when do you think it will be released, and in what form? (paid, free, other) If you don't think content is coming, what timeframe and form would you want it to come out as?

If we get an epilogue reveal, I think it will be free DLC, as selling the 'true ending' would cause another shitstorm.

I feel like if something is coming, then it has to be relatively soon. If it won't come soon, then we're probably going to have to wait for ME4, as much as I would hate that.

5. Where are you standing with Bioware and EA regarding Mass Effect? Are you just ok with an IT reveal of any sort? Are you going to withhold money from them no matter what they do now? Somewhere in between?

It all depends on how it all plays out. The way I see it, Bioware's PR is purposely feeding us misinformation. If it plays out like the 'wooden horse gambit', and everything was just a charade, then I could probably forgive them.

If no reveal will ever come (inconceivable IMO - too many damn hints), then I'll be properly pissed off by all the manipulation.

When the game was just released, they led us to believe that more was coming, that the we had to 'hang in there', 'keep our savegames' and 'copy of ME3 forever'.

To be clear:
Never = I don't think something is coming
Maybe/Maybe Not = I don't want to make a decision
Yes = I think something is coming

None of us can know for absolute sure that content is coming or not, unless we were from Bioware or had an info leak or whatever.

Yeah, maybe I should have gone with option 2.

All I know is that I'm sure something is eventually coming, I just don't know when.

DoomsdayDevice wrote:Yeah, maybe I should have gone with option 2.

All I know is that I'm sure something is eventually coming, I just don't know when.

Yeah the survey is about future ME3 content, not other games.

And by 'think', I mean 'are so inclined to believe for now'.

Yes = I currently believe we're getting ME3 content in some form in the future (doesn't have to be IT related, as reflected by the choices)

1. Yes

2. Because the next ME game could be a long time in coming, given it will be released for the next generation of console technology - and I don't think Bioware or EA will let their award-winning intellectual property sit gathering dust when it could easily become the next generation's killer app based on what we've seen in ME3. Bioware and EA will want to keep the franchise fresh in people's minds - so despite the official word of Citadel and Reckoning being the "final" DLC installments of Mass Effect 3, I thoroughly expect to see more content before the release of the next Mass Effect game. Will it be an expansion, post-end content, an epilogue or a bridging prelude to the next game, I haven't a clue, but I expect to see something.

3. Bioware are still playing their cards very close to their chest on ME3's overall story. And they still have a few aces up their sleeve as well, should they choose to play them. A twist in the tale of one sort or another in the nature of Shepard's final choice would be one - whether it is canonizing a particular ending choice, a revelation of Reaper influence along the lines of IT or elaborating on the "breath" scene. They have antagonists they could use as well - the Collectors were implemented in multiplayer, then in single player in the Citadel DLC - and a return to the game for them would be huge, especially taking Javik into account. The Keepers remain something of a mystery, as does the reason for the Reapers moving the Citadel to Earth - and whether or not they are constructing another Human Reaper there. And of course, there's Harbinger - the missing link in ME3's story. The ultimate piece of unfinished business. Any indication at all that Harbinger may make a return to the story would instantly grab the interest and attention of the majority of Mass Effect fans - and the promise of a face-to-face confrontation between Shepard and the Reapers big bad would be a license for EA to print money.

4. Any time between now and the next ME game's release, really. Could be soon, could be a while off. DLC may be one way of doing it, or we could see a Game of the Year/DLC Pack (combining all DLC with a new chapter) or even "ME version 3.5".

5. I'm happy with Bioware, and the Mass Effect series. Why wouldn't I be? I've loved the story from the first game onwards, and although I was disappointed with several aspects of ME3's story (and especially the ending), the DLC and multiplayer has held my interest for the last 12 months - so much so in fact that I've hardly played any other game, and have taken to discussing the story and interpretations of it on an almost daily basis on an internet forum - something I haven't done for any other game or franchise.

Bioware have my full support, and I am eagerly looking forward to seeing where they go next with the Mass Effect franchise.

6. I've touched on my disappointment regarding ME3's ending - there's no doubt in my mind that elements of ME3 were rushed. Certain parts of the game (notably the Rannoch and Tutchanka arcs) are so much more rewarding and in depth than others. The DLC for ME3 and Bioware's own history of plot twists and engaging storytelling has given me a lot of hope that there's a deeper meaning to what we see in the game, but so has the Indoctrination Theory. The IT and it's supporters have prompted me to think a great deal on what I've seen in the game and the series as a whole. ME3 has been a fantastic ride, and a lot of that is not only due to the game and story itself, but to this particular community and the time and effort everyone has put in. IT FTW.

@Gecko - Great summary, very similar to how I feel.

Thank you for that post ElSuperGecko.

Yes is surprisingly (to me) leading! But just barely.

I'm more surprised that so few are saying 'Never'.

Yeah, I'm also surprised and pleased to see many positive expectations. =)

I am positive too. I just don't want to make any predictions time-wise any more, because we have always been wrong, and everybody gets more and more frustrated when Bioware doesn't live up to our arbitrary deadlines.

This poll was poorly done swob. There's no probably not/doubtful option. "never" sounds so final that I wouldn't be surprised if many of the maybes are really more highly doubtfuls

spotlessvoid wrote:This poll was poorly done swob. There's no probably not/doubtful option. "never" sounds so final that I wouldn't be surprised if many of the maybes are really more highly doubtfuls

Good point. Use Option #2 in lieu of it now, as I considered it to also stand for 'doubtful' or 'doubtful but possible'.

I only had so many 'Yes' options in order for more elaboration on what REALLY people think would be coming.

I absolutely think there won't be any more ME3 content. That doesn't mean I think there will be no IT content.

Drewton wrote:I absolutely think there won't be any more ME3 content. That doesn't mean I think there will be no IT content.

Yeah, obviously use 'Never' for that. This poll is more about the fate or non-fate of ME3, rather than what a future game may bring. :)

spotlessvoid wrote:This poll was poorly done swob. There's no probably not/doubtful option. "never" sounds so final that I wouldn't be surprised if many of the maybes are really more highly doubtfuls

QFT. They say you can get whatever result you want out of a poll by the way you word it. Intentionally or not, this is an excellent example of wording skewing results.

Rifneno wrote:

spotlessvoid wrote:This poll was poorly done swob. There's no probably not/doubtful option. "never" sounds so final that I wouldn't be surprised if many of the maybes are really more highly doubtfuls

QFT. They say you can get whatever result you want out of a poll by the way you word it. Intentionally or not, this is an excellent example of wording skewing results.

Right, swoby was more interested in when and how instead of if there is going to be a reveal. Which this poll does just fine. The problem is that people are interpreting the results as the latter. In this case, "No" functions more as "other "

It should something like this if you're trying to see who believes a reveal is coming

Never
Very unlikely
Doubtful
Not sure
Maybe
Very likely
Definitely

"swoby was more interested in when and how instead of if there is going to be a reveal"

Not exactly. I'm interested in the more precise opinions OF THOSE WHO believe there is going to be a reveal.

If you don't think there will be one, then I still asked for elaboration in this thread. The poll structure is more for personal interest. I'm not asking about "likeliness', but rather "HOW sure are you, IF you are sure?".

It's a skewed poll for a reason, and I'm not coming from impartiality for the reason I just explained. Again, I do agree that the Never-Maybe ranges could have done with more appropriate options :)

Basically, this isn't an academic poll. It's to find out how many people here even think Bioware is lying/misleading about there being no more ME3-related content, and moreso, if you do think that, in what form do you think this content would even arrive in?

In this thread, unlike other threads, I'm not as interested in those who don't think there is going to be a reveal and that's that. I welcome their opinions in this thread, though.


EDIT: After typing this all, Spot, ha, you're right :), I didn't read your post correctly. Yes, I'm looking more for people's opinions on how this content would arrive, even though anything else is good!

1. Never.

2. I wish there would be more ME 3 (specifically an IT reveal), but Bioware very publicly showed that they are moving on from ME3.

3. If there were to add more content I'd love to see a post-ending, Reaper ass-kicking, IT revealing showdown, as well as some additional bonus powers.

4. If there were more ME3 content I would expect that June would be the release (right around E3).

5. They are just trying to make as much money as possible for their shareholders. It is literally the law for them to do so. While I hate that that is the case, I would happily buy just about anything ME related. (With the exception of Deception).

6. I don't think ME3 needs more content. It is a beautiful game and the ending was completely satisfying for me. Each of us have a different take on the events of the trilogy and it is a special feeling that no one played ME the same way I did.

-Thanks Fifth Beatle!
-I always wondered if they're gonna use the last quickskill slot for squadmates..
-But I want April :(

Maybe.

That said, I can't imagine the writers spending 2+ months together just to come up with the Citadel DLC. Maybe if you have 2-3 writers splitting up the script but to have the entire team on just one DLC? Something isn't right here.

There's gotta be more.

FreewheelinDylan wrote:Maybe.

That said, I can't imagine the writers spending 2+ months together just to come up with the Citadel DLC. Maybe if you have 2-3 writers splitting up the script but to have the entire team on just one DLC? Something isn't right here.

There's gotta be more.

From Ashes --> Done by early 2012, just not enough scheduled development to be in main game (if you believe their story)
Leviathan --> Done by shortly after ME3 launch (by the summer of 2012)
Omega --> Completed by Bioware Montreal, NOT Edmonton (though with shared resources, writers, etc), by the end of the summer to beginning of fall of 2012
Citadel --> Writing confirmed to have been completed by the end of summer 2012, voice actors seem to have come in the fall

So yes, I agree.

To me, and I know I could be soooo off base, but it feels like Citadel was the fun the devs had on the side (along with many symbolic references to the ending), while making a larger amount of story content (mini-expansion) with pretty much every main voice actor involved.

I think it's at least very realistic to *imagine* that they spent from April-May 2012 til February 2013 working on not just Citadel, but several other levels to be released later.

We just have absolutely no confirmation and we even have denials that anything else is coming, so hey, all I can do is cross my fingers :)