Regardless of the seemingly arbitrary April 12, 2014 expiration date attached to this morning's announcement of Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, EA told Joystiq it has "no plans to ever pull that content down or charge for it." That goes for "the foreseeable future after the April 12 date." According to a company rep, the expiration addendum was only attached due to EA's internal policy of putting expiration dates "on all 'no additional cost' content."

Announced this morning, Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut aims to assuage fan concerns over the trilogy's finale by adding "additional cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes" beyond the content already on the game's disc(s). Following Mass Effect 3's early March launch, fans responded with mixed feelings toward its conclusion, some going as far as to raise a chunk of money in a donation protest (the money was later returned).

Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut will arrive on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC this summer for free (and will remain as such, regardless of required legal notes).