Bioware gives up some Mass Effect 3 multiplayer details

What an interesting few days for Mass Effect fans. It began with a leaked cover image from an Australian magazine that more or less confirmed the existence of multiplayer in Mass Effect 3. Understandably fans of the series got a little uneasy. Was this EA forcing Bioware to inflict an ill-fitting multiplayer option in their predominantly single player game just to tick another box on the list of features? The outcry caused Bioware to speak up and assure fans that nothing of primary Mass Effect experience had been diminished by adding multiplayer and promised more details soon.

Well, now soon has arrived and we have some details on what the multiplayer will be like. The cooperative multiplayer of Mass Effect 3 revolves around Bioware’s Galaxy at War initiative which will provide players a way to cooperatively affect the ‘galactic readiness level’ in the main game, effectively giving you an alternate way to a perfect ending in the single player campaign.Chris Priestly over at Bioware announced some of the details on the Bioware forum.

“Players can choose from a variety of classes and races, form an elite Special Forces squad, and combine their weapons, powers and abilities to devastating effect as they fight together to liberate key territories from enemy control. Success in multi-player will have a direct impact on the outcome of the single player campaign, giving players an alternative method of achieving ultimate victory against the greatest threat mankind – and the entire galaxy – has ever faced.”

Bioware are keen to maintain that the system is  “entirely optional and just another way players can have control over [their] game experience.” It’s also interesting to note that the Galaxy at War mode may not be exclusive to Mass Effect 3.

“We are not going into details about the other components of the Galaxy at War at this time except to say we are designing each to make sense for that platform. Each component will be able to affect a player’s “Galactic Readiness” level in a different way. Again, participation in any or all ME3:GaW elements is entirely optional,” said Priestly.

While I don’t think that multiplayer is something Mass Effect 3 needs, I’ve none-the-less found these details heartening. Especially the fact that the multiplayer component is being managed by a dedicated team at Bioware’s Montreal studio and as such shouldn’t have any adverse impact on the fidelity of the singple player. If you’re at all worries about what multiplayer might mean for the Mass Effect franchise I’d urge you to head over to the Bioware Forum and check out all the details for yourself.