Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is launching at the end of this week, bringing the Mass Effect trilogy and nearly all of its DLCs with a fresh coat of remastered paint. One notable exclusion, however, is that the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will not include Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode.
The exclusion of the multiplayer mode in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was announced back in February, with BioWare stating that it was leaving the mode out to be able to focus primarily on remastering the single-player experience. The multiplayer mode saw up to four players completing round-based horde matches with a sizable variety of playable classes, and it even tied into the ending players received in Mass Effect 3's campaign.
During a recent interview with CNET, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition's project director Mac Walters was asked if there was any possibility of the multiplayer mode coming back, even if it was in a different form. Walters responded saying that it was possible. He said that the team is waiting to see how well-received Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and the changes the team has made to it are. Then, it is just a matter of whether or not the team sees a demand for the mode, and if it has the resources to dedicate to bringing it back in some form.
Just how sizable the demand for the mode's return will ultimately be remains to be seen. The announcement that the mode would not be included was received with disappointment by some fans of the series, but there are others who argue that multiplayer's exclusion from Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a good thing. Either way, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has a lot to offer fans who have been waiting for the series' return.
It will be interesting to see whether or not the multiplayer mode eventually makes a return. It does seem likely that the series will feature some sort of multiplayer in the future, as its most recent entry, Mass Effect Andromeda, featured a multiplayer mode that was similar to that in Mass Effect 3. Hopefully, both fans who want the mode to return and those who aren't interested in it are satisfied with the launch later this week as they dive back in to experience all of the classic moments that Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has to offer over the course of Commander Shephard's story.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Source: CNET