Reactions: Mass Effect 3 to have multiplayer…again?

Rumors of a multiplayer offering in BioWare’s highly anticipated Mass Effect 3 are nothing new, but they’ve typically been dismissed as impractical for the series. BioWare has never denied an interest in exploring multiplayer, but they’ve generally spoken with some healthy skepticism on the topic. But according to issue 108 of Xbox World, Mass Effect 3 will in fact be seeing multiplayer.

Additionally, Eurogamer is reporting that said multiplayer will come in the form of “a four-player co-op mode.” The mode is said to be “stand-alone” (like Splinter Cell: Conviction or Portal 2‘s co-op offerings?) and it features “competitive elements.” Some reports are pegging this mode as a Horde-like offering, but CVG claims to have an inside source who says the mode “will be built around ‘original missions made for online,’ which will be totally unique from the solo campaign.” Supposedly, there will “only be a handful” of these missions, but they’re being created “with the intention of being ‘played and played again.’”

If any of these things turn out to be true, they could certainly add more value, staying power, and mass appeal to Mass Effect 3. However, I do have some concerns over such a story-driven game–especially one that’s promising to culminate an entire trilogy’s epic narrative without neglecting the player’s history of choices–devoting resources to something that most fans of the series probably don’t care about.

Author: Cody