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[SDW]

The term "artistic integrity" has been used a lot in the recent weeks as part of the ending debate.
Various people have said that games are not art, to then go on that this means we can criticize them. That made it sound as if we cannot criticize the game if it is indeed art.
Let's not discuss here whether games are art or not but rather follow the argument ("It's art and therefore artistic integrity demands it must not be changed") through.

So we assume that games are an art form. What rules apply to other art that is similar to them?The closest approximations are movies and books, since, broadly speaking, both of them tell stories, treat varying themes in an intellectual and emotional way and feature characters with background stories - similar to the Mass Effect franchise.
Since these are usually considered art, does that mean that they are not subject to criticism? In fact, they are. And a lot so.
There has always been professional criticism by reviewers, who may damn or praise a work for its execution, the themes treated, the way characters are constructed etc.
There is public opinion that can be very strongly for/against works - e.g. with authors being told that they are presenting the wrong things as desirable, as is the case with the "Byronian" hero of "Twilight" [yeah, I know that most people will say that's not art - in any case, it falls into the books/movies category that is traditionally said to be artistic].
And of course nobody would look at you funny and say "How dare you, it's art!" if you told them you think movie X had a good premise but didn't prove it convincingly within the plot.

So in essence: If it's (narrative) art, that doesn't mean it's untouchable. Stories have always had to endure criticism. Of course it's at the author's discretion whether he listens to it or not. But at least the label "art" is not a get-out-jail-free card. 

[Mysten]

I've kept as far away from this mess the moment people began throwing the term 'artistic integrity' around. Have people seriously been suggesting that artistic integrity gives artwork the right to be free from criticism? That's absurd. I'd have imagined that anyone using it would have a basic understanding of its actual definition (then again, this is the Internet) and would be using it counter arguments made that Bioware are obliged to alter the game to suit the consumer's particular taste because they're a consumer. Which is equally absurd (if you didn't commission it, you are in no position to make that demand - and you most certainly did not commission it.)

Criticism is fine, demanding anything changes is not.

[OH-UP-THIS!]

Are most of folks in here confusing "artistic integrity" with Artistic-LICENSE?

I'm no fan of the outcome to this tragedy, however, I didn't write it, so I can't change it, nor would I.