'Mass Effect 3' patch promises fix for Shepard face import bug

BioWare is finally ready to release a patch fixing Mass Effect 3's inability to import a custom Shepard face if created in Mass Effect 1.

While the Mass Effect 3 "Extended Cut" free DLC won't be available until this summer – promising fans "further clarity to the ending of Mass Effect 3" – a less controversial, though no less sensitive, issue is being addressed next week: ME3's failure to import custom Shepard faces from Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2.

If players imported their Mass Effect 1 custom Shepard into Mass Effect 2, that game failed to create a corresponding "face code." So, while they could enjoy the entire ME2 experience with a familiar face, Mass Effect 3 didn't have the data needed to successfully import that face, even if it imported all of the decisions.

BioWare writes that it has "a new patch coming next week that will fix a few issues with the game" with the first being a fix for "issues when in some cases Shepard's customized facial features from ME1/ME2 may not be properly imported to ME3." It appears those cases included every single instance that a player tried to maintain a unique Shepard from Mass Effect 1 through Mass Effect 3 ... so, sort of a major oversight.

The patch will be released on PC on April 9th, and on Xbox 360 and PS3 on April 10th. The other, less notable, fixes range from crashes to unresponsive states to debug text appearing onscreen. You can find the entire list of fixes below.

• Fixed issues when in some cases Shepard's customized facial features from ME1/ME2 may not be properly imported to ME3
• Fixed an issue when quickly and repeatedly selecting to Resume a Save could result in Player Level reset and a potential locking of powers.
• Fixed an issue when selecting Multiplayer in the Main Menu while under a poor network connection could result in an unresponsive state.
• Fixed a potential crash while accessing an in-game terminal from Eden Prime level.
• Fixed an issue when attempting to login while Server is down. It would display a Server Down message and accepting the Server Shutdown message would shut down the game.
• Fixed a potential memory crash while loading a Quick Save of a custom FemShep.
• Fixed an issue when restarting missions and acquiring an above max amount of weapon mods results in displayed debug text on-screen.
• Fixed an issue when an unresponsive game state could occur during transition after the Conduit level.
• Fixed an issue when DLC game saves can be accessed from an account without DLC if another account on the same computer has access to the related DLC. (PC Only)
• Fixed an issue when saves from different accounts on the same computer may become locked if one account has access to DLC which the other account does not. (PC Only)
• Fixed an issue when potentially the game could enter unresponsive state when transitioning from the Holding Docks area to the Normandy Docks area of the Citadel. (PS3 Only)