Mass Effect 3 - From Ashes DLC to Cost $ 10 on Day of Release

At Game Informer they've noticed an Xbox Listing for the From Ashes DLC. It has since been removed from Xbox marketplace. The title was From Ashes and this is what we know about it:

Unearth lost secrets from the past and recruit the Prothean squad member in Mass Effect 3: From Ashes.

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House MDD on the Bioware ME3 forums also noticed this.
In the above linked thread a Bioware representative said this:

Hi all!
We're happy to confirm that Mass Effect 3: From Ashes DLC will be available at launch for all platforms. For those of you who have purchased the N7 Collector's Edition (including the PC Digital Deluxe Edition), you will get this content at no extra charge. We'll have a lot more details for you later this week! Stay Tuned!

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Game Ranx has this editorial on what Bioware and EA has done. They don't like it much.

From what I've gathered of this statement, it confirms that BioWare is bucking the trend it set with Dragon Age and followed up with its sequel and Mass Effect 2 by making the content a separate purchase for anyone who picks up the standard (non-Collector's or Digital Deluxe) edition of Mass Effect 3.
Previously in Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age, the only in-game content associated with the Collector's Editions were additional armor and weaponry. As I mentioned earlier, content as large as the DLCs including Zaeed and Shale were always included free of charge. Dragon Age 2 went a small step further, by restricting The Exiled Prince DLC to "Signature" copies of the game, which all pre-orders were upgraded to.
This has changed.

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More information.

So nice that EA decides to remove content from the game, and then charge you extra to put it back in. Yet another reason to avoid this one like the plague.

I'm with you on this one- totally ridiculous with locking people out on day one. If it had been noted that this was a perk from day one from buying that edition, I wouldn't have minded but this is just a money grab. I am not real sold on this any ways based on the demo and if I buy it it will be on sale.

And then of course, "they" complain that there's a lot of piracy …

I for once was 99% sure i would buy ME3. After reading that they want to force origin down my throat and then this shady DLC tactic i just can't get out of my head that if i'm giving EA my money and reward them for cuting the game shorter just to make more money, i'm doing more harm than good to this industry.

And then, ofc, they complain about piracy.


Oh well.

Just because a piece of DLC is available on day one doesn't mean it was done when the game was finished. There have to be at least a few weeks between the time a game is finished and when it's released, during which time the developers could be creating new content.

It also doesn't mean they needed the few extra weeks to work on the DLC. And it certainly doesn't justify charging a large percentage of the base game price for very little additional content.

Between this and all the pre order bonus BS makes for typical EA marketing. Something they put more money and focus on than they do making a great game. Cant wait for the day EA when crumbles.

This is why I never pay full price for any EA games.

Did they ever release a GOTY or Ultimate edition with all the dlcs bundled for ME2? I doubt they did, I also doubt they will for ME3(at least not within the first couple of years). Can't have people waiting to pick up an AIO ultimate/goty version… That would totally defeat the purpose of their piecemeal approach to monetary extraction erm content distribution.

Nah they've actually maintained rather high pricing on the base ME2 packages and there doesn't appear to be any sort of complete edition availible. The DLC for it is also still somewhat pricey and a "complete" ME2 (digital deluxe+substantive DLC) is going to run you about 65 USD right now. They probably won't discount or bundle it until after ME3 comes out so they can capitalize on people buying or re-buying it to catch themselves up for the third installment.

Just because a piece of DLC is available on day one doesn't mean it was done when the game was finished.

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Who cares if they did or not? It's BioWare/EA's game. They get to charge what they want, when they want. We aren't entitled to it whether they finished it today or last year. If an extra companion is worth $10 to you then pay for it. If not, don't buy it and don't play it. Welcome to the free market.

The thing that doesn't make sense if why they're trying to encourage people to buy the CE now. It's pretty much sold out everywhere, so the only extra sales they could get are from the PC download version. You'd think it would be in their best interest to encourage new sales of the regular version than get a few extra PC download copies sold.

Zborno said:

Just because a piece of DLC is available on day one doesn't mean it was done when the game was finished. There have to be at least a few weeks between the time a game is finished and when it's released, during which time the developers could be creating new content.

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It was done when they were making the game.. The squadmate added by the DLC have voice files in the DEMO of ME3<- Spoiler!

edit:
I just want to add that the character exist in the leaked script as part of the game plot...

azarhal said:

It was done when they were making the game.. The squadmate added by the DLC have voice files in the DEMO of ME3<- Spoiler!

edit:
I just want to add that the character exist in the leaked script as part of the game plot…

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Yes he was written in and taken out for dlc the proof speaks for itself you naysayers.

Couchpotato said:

Yes he was written in and taken out for dlc the proof speaks for itself you naysayers.

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Greedy bastards!

Orákulum said:

Greedy bastards!

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Yes they are. Everybody get on the DLC train you have to catch them all. I love seeing with every releases Biowae makes they piss off more people.

Lets see all the DLC content-

Collector's Edition (needed to obtain all content):

$80 - N7 Collector's Edition

Pre-order bonuses:

AT-12 Raider - Origin pre-order bonus
Chakram Launcher - Play the Kingdoms of Alamur demo
M-55 Argus - Pre-order bonus for select retailers
N7 Weapons pack - N7 Edition bonus
N7 Hoodie - N7 Edition bonus
N7 Warfare Gear - Pre-order bonus for select retailers
Reckoner Knight Armor - Play the Kingdoms of Alamur demo
Robotic Dog - N7 Edition bonus
Squad Outfit pack - N7 Edition bonus

Auxiliary purchases:

Unannounced price for the iOS game Mass Effect Infiltrator, which can affect the main game.

$10 day one "From Dust" DLC

$44.99 for the Liara figurine - which oddly enough now comes with multiplayer unlock DLC

$24.99 for The Art of Mass Effect Universe - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$80 for four Mass Effect 3 toys - "Slightly randomized" multiplayer unlock DLC

$59.99 for the Mass Effect 3 controller - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$209.99 for the Chimera 5.1 Headset - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$34.99 for the Mousepad - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$79.99 for the Messenger Bag - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$24.99 for the iPhone case - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$79.99 for the Mouse - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

$139.99 for the Keyboard - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup

And EA does have the balls to charge 10 dollars for a 30-40 min mission. Its like EA is saying if your rich you can enjoy the whole game, if your not rich you cant. Thats the bottom line with EA. This is one greedy company, and is the reason why i cant blame my fellow gamers to look for the Jack Sparrow Edition. When you pump out that much DLC with extra content and dont even have the courtasy to bundle it for fans to enjoy ? Everyone can see EA s greed from miles away , this is why people find there own versions of the game. A bit mellow dramatic ? yes, but i loath EA and they stomp all over one of our favorite hobbies. I will let my wallet do the talking aswell on this subject of Mass Effect 3 and there DLC. Not buying bottom line.

Oh how I loathe this kind of psychological manipulation.

They're taking advantage of natural ignorance and curiousity. If you're inclined to buy Mass Effect 3 - you will naturally want the "complete" experience, as far as that's reasonably possible.

You're NOT an informed consumer at release - and there's no way you can know what the full experience will be like with or without DLC.

So, the natural reaction is to get all the extras - because you don't want to miss out.

It's consumer exploitation at its worst.

Naturally, lots of people will see this as "innocent" opportunism - and a perfectly acceptable result of the free market.

How about considering why the world is in recession?

This DLC costs 10 Dollars ? How fitting ! : http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9848&highlight=dollar

Thank you DArtagnan, One of the big retorts to DLC is that its extra and doesnt effect the main game. But it does , and by nature you are going to want to expeirence all the game has to offer. Are you going to enjoy it with out ,probably . are you going to be curious what you missed , most likely. For me and Mass Effect 3 its all or nothing and im tired of EAs blatent disrepect for the gaming community. I will draw the line and choose not to play .