Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode confirms return after ME5 is killed off for good

Mass Effect 5 is unfortunately no longer in development following the closure of BioWare, but a scrap of positive news has surfaced to help soften the blow.

One modding team has outlined its plans to bring back Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode, as reported by PC Gamer.

It’s not exactly how many of us were hoping to reunite with the N7 team but outside of the Mass Effect TV show, which is reportedly still going ahead at Prime Video, this is perhaps the best we can hope for.

You may not be aware that Mass Effect 3 ever even had a multiplayer mode. That’s because the mode was not included in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, a compilation of the trilogy which landed in 2021.

In the original version, however, players could team-up with friends and strangers alike to fend off Reapers and Geth, as well as Cerberus and Collector forces.

It’s the ME3Tweaks modding team that seeks to bring the mode back, with the project having been in the works for a whopping three years.

Rather than just bringing the mode back as a carbon copy of the original, the ME3Tweaks team hopes to introduce several improvements.

Modder Audemus outlined that improved HDR and controller support, an overhauled UI, rebaked level lighting, upscaled and redrawn textures, upgraded shaders, improved networking, additional mod support, and extra game modes are among what fans can expect.

As for those extra game modes, one is due to be called ‘Unified’ and will see enemies from multiple factions join together to fight you whereas in the original, you’d fight against just one faction in any given round.

You don’t have to wait long to get your hands on this mod project either, as if all goes well, it should be released this coming N7 Day - November 7.

That’ll easily make up for the lack of an update from BioWare this year given the sad circumstances as of late.

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Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode cleverly impacted the game’s single-player campaign

EA

Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode wasn’t, on the surface, a revolutionary extra, but it was a nice opportunity to enjoy Mass Effect 3’s combat systems alongside fellow players.

What did make the co-op multiplayer mode interesting was the impact it could potentially have on the single-player campaign.

Mass Effect 3 also included the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War mode; this additional content further allowed players to help Commander Shepard prepare for the trilogy’s final fight against the Reapers.

Optional actions taken within Galaxy at War would impact the single-player campaign - and Mass Effect 3’s co-op mode would earn and unlock you Galaxy at War rewards.

It was a bit longwinded, admittedly, but I always appreciated BioWare’s intent to give everything a purpose, rather than simply adding on a multiplayer mode for the sake of it, which many other titles of the era did.

I’m certainly excited to see what ME3Tweaks bring to table with their updated take.

The team previously restored the Pinnacle Station DLC, an expansion to the original Mass Effect that was also cut from the Legendary Edition, so they’ve definitely proven themselves.

It goes without saying that the mod will be PC only. It’s a shame that as cool as these mod projects are, they’re also all we can hope for now in terms of new Mass Effect game content.