During a Q&A at the Smithsonian, Irrational's Ken Levine and Mythic's creative director Paul Barnett each stated that BioWare had no need to change the ending of Mass Effect 3, regardless of the fan response.
This came in response to a fan asking the duo what they thought of the backlash by the community to the ending of Mass Effect 3.
“If computer games are art than I fully endorse the author of the artwork to have a statement about what they believe should happen,” Barnett said. “Just as J.K. Rowling can end her books and say that is the end of Harry Potter. I don’t think she should be forced to make another one.”
Levine added that he didn't think a changed ending would satisfy fans anyway, since it came at “an important moment," adding “I think if those people got what they wanted and (BioWare) wrote their ending they would be very disappointed in the emotional feeling they got because they didn’t really create it."
“I think this whole thing is making me a little bit sad because I don’t think anyone would get what they wanted if that happened,” he continued.
A current fan-led fundraising effect to change the ending has reached $74,000.
