I actually wouldn't have a problem with all the whiny players going "Mass Effect 3 ending sucks because of choices not mattering at the end and only a different colored explosion!". The problem is that they petitioned Bioware to change the ending. Bioware changed all of the largest complaints with the ending (I'm not even kidding, the Extended Cut ending addressed all the major complaints). They released the new ending FOR FREE.
You know what the response was? "Ending still sucks!" along with "I'm not playing it again just to see the new ending!". Basically, the people with the complaints about the ending to Mass Effect 3 amount to the biggest douchebags on the internet. They are the spammers, trollers, and high pitched screaming and singing kids you meet every single match of every single multiplayer game. They are the worst examples of not only Gamers, but Humanity in general.
First of all, I would like to say I respect you as a person for your good advice in dynamic storylines. Second of all, I made an account just to reply to this.
Clearly you're a huge fan of Bioware -- I respect that. I honestly understand where you're coming from. It's easier to try to understand why they did what they did than to say 'Hey, this is lazy writing.' Because there was more wrong with Mass Effect 3 than the ending alone. And calling anyone that disagrees with your opinion "kids" "douchebags" or "whiners" is, frankly, uncouth and... well... unsportsmanlike. It is better to face the problem head-on, without insulting or demeaning the opposing side, and merely examine the work for itself. Let it speak for itself if there was nothing wrong with it, or let it stand the test of a thousand opinions and either come out successful or a failure. In my opinion, it was a failure.
The common gamer is easily swayed, true, yet I would endeavor to declare that ME3's entire story was not only fragmented from the rest of the franchise, but it was a clear and blatant example of bad writing. They failed to keep their characters consistent, failed to maintain the malleable main character spell, failed to be consistent with their presentation of lore, failed to present a clear solution to their problems, and succeeded in making everything about emotion and nothing about objective plot points. It was completely un-immersive.
They did not change the ending, either. Remember what they called the add-on DLC? "The Extended Cut". I would like to, hopefully not in any condescending manner, though it may appear as such, remind you of the meaning of the word "extended". It does not mean in any manner that Bioware "retconned", "made anew", or even "changed" their previous ending, rather, it
explicitly declares that they made what they had before
longer. And contrary to what you may have witnessed, this placated about half of the unhappy fans. Some are even willing to give DA:I a chance now, while the other half retain bitter dislike of Bioware in general, much like a spurned lover.
I am of the latter. And I am only of the latter because I really thought Bioware was trying to complete a story they had set out in creating. I thought they would tie up loose ends and use the same wit and innovative storytelling they had used in their previous installments. When I saw ME3 wasn't up to par, I was both offended and wounded. Offended because I had thrown so much cash into a game I had researched and found the presented information (information given by Bioware, I may add) inaccurate and even deceptive, and I was wounded because I had long been emotionally invested in the Mass Effect universe. While I understand the hostility of the fans as a result of their, perhaps, similar emotional reactions, I did not partake in it aside from some moping and griping. And a lot of drawings of Tali. A lot of that.
So hopefully you can at least endeavor to understand that the Retake ME3 movement wasn't meant to show entitlement or childishness. Rather, it was a hopeful statement created to the end that Bioware would listen and accept criticism for their writings -- criticism that Bioware had shown time and time again to censor, disregard, or label as merely childish or entitled, just as you are doing now. While I wouldn't say Bioware should be forced to obey the voices of the internet, I do think disregarding them and censoring them is not only unjust, but bad public relations, and it only further incensed their opposition.
Just my piece.
(Also the reaction to Walking Dead has pretty much nothing to do with the reaction to ME3. There's no reason to relate the two.)
