Mass Effect 3 - Multiplayer Confirmed

Surprise! Mass Effect 3 multiplayer has been confirmed by two magazine covers - and then BioWare via twitter. Aussie mag PC Powerplay was the first latest newest one to show their Mass Effect 3 multiplayer cover and then OXM didn't want to get outdone. And from BioWare's twitter:

There will be a multiplayer component for #ME3. Full details soon, so wait until then before making your decision. We think you'll like it!

…and then Casey Hudson has confirmed it's co-op:

Yes, co-op MP missions for #ME3: they're real, and they're spectacular. Rest assured it's nothing of what you've feared. More soon…

More information.

Figured as much, everything else would have been too weird. The type of MP isn't what most fear, though, I guess.
It's the fact that MP most likely meant shifting budget/manpower away from SP, thus reducing quality and/or content in one way or the other.

Personally, I think MP is not needed in ME3 at all - not after going through the first two games for its story and npc interactions, 'cause, frankly, the gameplay was never that good (but not too bad either).

Doesn't really concern me anymore. I was excited about the prospects of a trilogy after really enjoying ME1, but ME2 - even though I must admit it was a decent game in terms of pure gameplay mechanics - killed my interest in the series. It's not so much a "it's not enough of an RPG" situation anymore, I just personally don't like Bioware's current approach to game design and writing. Multiplayer will only add to that feeling and is about as far away from what I would personally want for the series as possible, so ME3 is a pass for me.

Completely agree with lef.

Couldn't care less about the actual multiplayer bits, but the fact that it's there means that a great number of people are wasting their time on this instead of working on the singleplayer parts. Shame.

Given that we have so many MMO games out there, is there real need or demand for Multiplayer in ME games?

One can argue that there are hardly any good sci fi MMO but SW TOR will be out before ME3.

You really think they're moving people away from the SP team to work on multi-player? Wow.

I am completely alienated. It doesn't make any sense at all.

Originally Posted by Thaurin
You really think they're moving people away from the SP team to work on multi-player? Wow.

Every feature in a game, no matter how minor, is a trade off in terms of man hours when there's only so many to go around before the deadline, not to mention testing and so forth.

I don't think they yanked people away, no, but I do think some resources were diverted. They didn't just wave a wand and have multiplayer up and working.

I also somehow doubt EA gave them extra time to add the multiplayer. Especially since this game is set to release before their all import fiscal year end deadline, so it is coming out in March come hell or high water. That being the case, it's very likely that in order to add the multiplayer, they had to cut corners on something else.

Solo gamers complain about too much multiplayer; MMO players complain about solo content. I guess devs/publishers want to maximise the market by catering for both groups, even if the end result is half-assed.

Rest assured it's nothing of what you've feared

So the game and gameplay are not designed specifically for the weakest and cheapest piece of gaming crap system?

"…they're real, and they're spectacular…"

As long as they're skippable, I'm good.

MP details: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to…ndex/8481789/1

"Oh, yea, we even allow you to do the optimal, complete ending if you play solo only. Aren't we nice?" Well, yes, thank you Bioware. Bah! Color me not interested.

Besides, co-op over internet sounds like another way to sneak in always-on drm ("Those bad cheaters, I tell you!").

*sigh*

Cooperative gameplay is nice, but if you wait until the last game in a trilogy to implement it - you're not being very smart about it.

If you don't make the campaign cooperative, but rather separate missions - you're missing much of the appeal of cooperative multiplayer.

Sadly, this sounds like a suit decision - and a particularly stupid one at that.

I hope co-op wont be necessary, or even preferred in an obvious way, because I do want to play this.

Originally Posted by Thaurin
You really think they're moving people away from the SP team to work on multi-player? Wow.

EA/Bio decides to expend X amount of resources on Mass Effect 3.

If the combined development for all teams represent 100% resources, then how do you figure MP won't affect the SP portion?

The only way MP wouldn't affect SP is if they had planned it as SP only, and decided to provide more resources that they wouldn't have used if it was SP only. If the plan was always MP/SP - then there's still the combined amount of resources that could have been SP only.

MP isn't necessarily not worth it, and for me - cooperative MP is one way in which I think many games can be much better than if they were SP only - regardless of the lost resources. But it needs to be the entire campaign - because the most enjoyable aspect of Bioware games is the story - and the most enjoyable aspect of cooperative gaming is to share the fun.

With all that, I'm sure the business aspect of this feature is sound. The core audience would buy ME3 almost no matter what, and with MP - they're likely to expand their target somewhat.

But I'm not sure there's a big market for separate coop missions. I never understood that kind of feature, but maybe there are lots of people out there keen to do that kind of MP?

they're real, and they're spectacular

Seinfeld quote. Funny episode.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Cooperative gameplay is nice, but if you wait until the last game in a trilogy to implement it - you're not being very smart about it.

Actually coop is relatively good news, there is a lack of decent RPG games that can be played that way. Of course, not much RPG left in Mass Effect. And its only the last game of a trilogy. Oh Well. At least it's not some dumb capture the flag or deathmatch MP tag-on.

These games are great, but way too short for my money. ME3 goes on my long term shopping list for when it is deeply discounted.

If you can play the main campaign in coop mode similar to DS3 where another player can replace a companion, it could be pretty interesting. In fact, I have several friends who would love such a feature.

If it's just a few seperate missions, it honestly sounds like they're simply trying something out to prepare for a multiplayer spin off or similar.

I never really got into the whole co-op story rpg thing. Seems like it always kill immersion.