Mass Effect 3's Co-op Is Part Of "Project $10"

Bioware's newest installation of Mass Effect will feature the strange, albeit welcome edition of Multiplayer. While many of the finer details of the games multiplayer have yet to be release, EA has stated that the game will be affected by it's "EA Online Pass" scheme wherein you must purchase the multiplayer add-on if you bought the game used. For those who buy it new, the game will come with a redemption code on the inside of the case.

The full press release is below, where Bioware also clarified that it is not Commander Shepard and his crew that will be featured in multiplayer. The multiplayers story arc is different, but is still within the Mass Effect canon.

BioWare Unveils Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War System Featuring Series Debut of Multiplayer 

Fight the Galactic War from New Fronts and Platforms Including Four-Player Co-Operative Multiplayer 

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Earth has been captured, the galaxy is on the verge of total extinction, and it's up to you as Commander Shepard to assemble the counter offensive and take Earth back. Award-winning developer BioWare, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced today that multiplayer will be coming to the critically-acclaimed Mass Effect™ series for the very first time as part of the new Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system. With the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, players will fight for the survival of the galaxy against an ancient alien race known only as, Reapers, in both the single player campaign and through a suite of Mass Effect games and applications. Progress made in each of the components of the system, including the new multiplayer mode, will directly link back to the player's main campaign, helping Commander Shepard rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War feature can be activated via the Online Pass code found in every new copy of Mass Effect 3. The Mass Effect 3 Online Pass can also be purchased separately on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. 

"The theme of galactic war in Mass Effect 3 presents us with the perfect opportunity to introduce multiplayer into the Mass Effect series," said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. "Multiplayer not only features amazing combat and deep customization options, but it will give players another way to help the war effort against the Reapers in the main event -- the single player campaign."
Featuring four-player cooperative gameplay, multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 puts players in the role of a team of elite Special Forces soldiers sent to protect resources and assets that can help the war effort against the Reapers. Players will have the option of playing as one of six classes and from six different races: Human, Krogan, Asari, Drell, Salarian and Turian. 

Multiplayer and other components of the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system provide alternative ways for players to wage the final war against the Reapers. The new system will also connect players to their BioWare Social Network accounts to stay up to date on the latest Mass Effect 3 news and access downloadable content (DLC) and add-ons.
The Mass Effect franchise is one of the most highly decorated series in the history of games, having earned over 200 awards worldwide. Mass Effect 3 arrives on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC in North America on March 6, 2012 and in Europe on March 9, 2012. For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit http://masseffect.com, follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect or "like" the game on Facebook at http://facebook.com/masseffect.

Mass Effect 3 To Have 4-Player Co-op

It appears Bioware has decided to try to go all-out balls-out and add 4-player Co-op to your favorite Commander Sheppard space franchise. The company released a detailed Q&A on its forums regarding the matter.

The games multiplayer will be a separate story than the Sheppard one, though in the same canon. You'll be in charge of a 4 man special forces team. The progress made in multiplayer also affects something called "galactic readiness" which contributes to the true ending of the single player campaign.
Read below for details

Chris Priestly:
Hi Everyone, 

Today BioWare and the Mass Effect 3 team are very pleased to announce 4 player co-op multiplayer missions and the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system for Mass Effect 3 on the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. 

4 player co-op multiplayer 

Join your friends in the all-out galactic war to take Earth back. The universe of Mass Effect expands with the addition of new co-op multiplayer missions, playable over Xbox Live, PSN and PC internet. 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.

Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War 

As a bonus to the campaign, BioWare is introducing the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, a new way for players to manage and experience the galactic war from multiple fronts, including a new 4-player co-op mode. The key to saving the galaxy is the “Galactic Readiness” level, measured by Commander Shepard’s ability to apply every possible asset – people, weapons, resources, armies, fleets – in the final battle against the Reapers. Players can impact their game’s Galactic Readiness level in multiple ways via the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, including multiplayer. Other platforms and interfaces will be announced in the coming months. It is important to note that the system is entirely optional and just another way players can have control over your game experience – it is still possible to achieve the optimal, complete ending of the game in Mass Effect 3 through single-player alone.

F.A.Q.

Why include 4 player Co-op multiplayer in Mass Effect 3? 

Being able to explore and fight alongside your friends in the Mass Effect universe has always been something we thought would be fun and compelling, and many players have asked for it for a long time as well. Mass Effect 3 is the best place for us to introduce multiplayer through co-op because of the premise of the game – all out galactic war. 

Why only 4 player co-op? What not a versus mode? 

We have always maintained that we would only add multiplayer into the Mass Effect series if it made sense and did not compromise the power of the single player campaign. Fighting together against a common threat was the multiplayer experience that made the most sense for Mass Effect 3. The way we have designed co-op as a wayto take control of key conflict zones in the galaxy is a natural extension of the premise of Mass Effect 3. 

Why did you decide not to include it as a part of the main campaign? 

Our priority and focus with Mass Effect 3 has and always will be to deliver a complete and satisfying single player experience. 

Does the addition of co-op multiplayer missions impact the scope or quality of the single-player experience? 

No. A dedicated team from our recently formed BioWare Montreal studio has been focused on creating the multiplayer game features while the main game continued to be developed by the team in BioWare Edmonton. Both teams are integrated under the same leadership group that produced Mass Effect 1 and 2, led by Casey Hudson. BioWare remains dedicated to delivering one of the most amazing single-player campaigns gamers have ever experienced. 

How did developing multiplayer impact the single player game? 

BioWare is dedicated and focused on delivering an engaging, fun, and action-packed experience for Mass Effect 3, one that lives up the BioWare standard. To reach that level of quality, last year BioWare opened a studio in Montreal that is home to designers, programmers, engineers, and other developers. Both studios work together as partners, lead by the core Mass Effect team, unified in a single vision. Under the direction of Casey Hudson and other team veterans, both studios make contributions to both the single player and multiplayer modes in Mass Effect 3. Rest assured that no compromises were made to either of these modes in the development of Mass Effect 3. 

Which characters can I play in co-op multiplayer? Can I play as Commander Shepard? 

Commander Shepard’s part in the war will take place in the single-player campaign, as will that of other beloved characters in the franchise such as Garrus, Ashley, and Liara…these characters do not appear in the multiplayer missions. In multiplayer, players will create custom characters to fight on different and unique fronts in the war. This will include the ability to play as favorites like Turians, Krogans, Asari and more… each with their own unique set of abilities. 

What if I don’t like multiplayer – will my experience be negatively impacted? 

Mass Effect 3 is a complete, standalone game that will deliver a satisfying story experience, even if you choose not to try multiplayer. The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system and all of the individual components are meant to complement that amazing game and can be enjoyed on their own or as part of the Galaxy at War experience. 

What if I am not good at / do not like multiplayer? Will my readiness rating go down? 

ME3 is a story about a war against overwhelming force where the most you can hope for us survival. The more you do to fight that war, the more you can change that story into a more optimistic one. You can reach the highest levels of success in the single player experience alone, but Galaxy at War gives you alternative ways to get there. It’s about choice, and allowing players to find their own ways to stay immersed in the Mass Effect universe. 

Will you be adding any additional maps or modes through DLC? 

We can’t comment on specifics right now, but can confirm that we are planning on having DLC for Mass Effect 3. 

Do save games from ME1 or ME2 impact the co-op multiplayer missions? No. 

Do characters level up in co-op multiplayer? What is the progression system? 

Character progression, weapon upgrading and leveling up is present in co-op. We’ll release more information on this topic in the months leading up to launch. 

Is there more info about the other platforms of Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War? 

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.

Source: Bioware Forums

Star Wars The Old Republic Launch Date Released

Today, Lucasarts and Bioware have happily announced the release date for their highly anticipated MMORPG game Star Wars - The Old Republic. The release date falls on Sunday, December 20th, 2011. 

The game will feature three different editions on release, all with varying in-game bonuses. 

The Standard - $60

- One Month Free

- Color Stone (Virtual Item)

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The Digital Deluxe - $80

- One Free Month

- Color Stone (Virtual Item)

*Includes 5 Additional Digital Items:*
   - Flare Gun
   - Training Droid
   - HoloDancer
   - HoloCam
   - STAP

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The Collectors Edition - $150

- One Free Month
- Color Stone (
- Exclusive Gentle Giant Darth Malgus statue
- Game disks collectible metal case
- The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural as annotated by Satele Shan
- The Old Republic galaxy map
- Custom Security Authentication Key
- Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic CD
- High-quality Collector's Edition box

*Includes 7 Additional Digital Items:*
   - Flare Gun
   - Training Droid
   - HoloDancer
   - HoloCam
   - STAP
   - Exclusive Mouse Droid
   - Exclusive Collector's Edition Store

Source: SWTOR.com

Dragon Age 3 To Be The Bastard Child Of DA 1 And 2

Castrum - Please God, don't let them turn DA3 into some Gears-inspired Dynasty Warriors mess:

Dragon Age 3 is going to blend the best features of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka told PC Gamer at Gamescom. After Dragon Age 2's inconclusive, varied review scores, BioWare is focused on making all fans, core and new, happy: "What we need to do as developers is take that feedback from both sets of fans to heart and see about marrying that in future games in the Dragon Age franchise. I think that the team has actually got a great plan," Muzyka said.

Part of me still really wishes people had shit all over Mass Effect 2 like they did to DA2, if only because now after getting that 90+ average, they're not changing anything.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/21/muzyka-bioware-to-throw-previous-dragon-age-games-into-a-blende/

EA Artificially Limiting The Old Republic's Supply

Castrum - Probably a good plan, considering all the hype:

In an attempt to prevent its servers from collapsing under the weight of a million Force-hungry MMO-players, EA will artificially limit the number of copies -- both digital and retail -- of Star Wars: The Old Republic available at launch. An EA representative reportedly revealed the strategy at a Gamescom demo, but didn't divulge any details such as how many copies would be available, or how long it would take for more copies to be released once the quota is met.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-copies-artificially-limited-a/

Warhammer Online Reduced To A CTF Match

Castrum - Sad to see such a great IP brought so low by mediocre developers (Mythic) and the tyranny of WoW:

I played WAR a few years back, and the game had absolutely beautiful graphics and main cities, as well as several features Blizzard blatantly ripped-off and passed-off as their own in WoW (Tome of Knowledge/Archaeology comes to mind). I just wish it hadn't come to this.

http://kotaku.com/5831286/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-is-a-new-6v6v6-game-free-to-pc-this-fall/gallery/1

The Key To Sony's Success

Castrum - Sony's first-party studios (and second-party as well). This has also been the key to Nintendo's success.

If Microsoft had been smart, they would have realized this and begun buying up developers left and right at the dawn of this gen. Instead, they offloaded Ensemble, lost Bungie, gave up on buying BioWare before EA did, and handed the most overrated game developer of all-time, Peter Molyneux, a big fat cheque so he could continue churning out Fable 1 with minor improvements every couple of years.

Also note that FASA Studios, of MechAssault fame, was similarly killed by MS.

http://kotaku.com/5827180/just-how-many-game-studios-does-sony-own-anyway

For Mass Effect 3, Fans Pick Angry Barbie Doll

Castrum - So BioWare, in their wisdom, decided to hold a Facebook poll of sorts to see which custom-designed female Shepard they would utilize in marketing Mass Effect 3.

Personally, I think this was a huge set-up. I mean, look at the Barbie's competition:

Three butch chicks, an emo, and a creepy Russian dominatrix from 1985. Note Barbie's the only blonde in the bunch as well. My runner-up would be #3, as she looks the least scary/pissed-off/BAWWWWWWWWW, but even so, the blonde Barbie beats her by a mile. Better/unique hair, intense but not scary look, blonde hair contrasts well with the black/grey armor, etc.

Oh well. At least they didn't have us choose between Fantasy-style armor and standard Mass Effect armor. I think everyone knows how that poll would go.

(For the record, I roll custom male Shep. Never understood the need for a guy to play as a female character, never will)

http://kotaku.com/5826702/fans-picked-the-blonde-in-a-controversial-video-game-beauty-contest-but-thats-not-a-bad-thing

Dragon Age 2 No Longer On Steam

Castrum - Well, it seems Steam (and by extension, Valve) have gotten a bit more up-front with their monopolistic tendencies. No longer content to simply have a de-facto stranglehold on the Digital Download market, now they have decided to make it legally-binding for any publisher/developer who wants to sell games and/or DLC via Steam:

The EA and Steam saga marches ever onward. Dragon Age 2 is no longer available on Steam, apparently pulled just as the new "Legacy" downloadable content was released. No reason has been given by Steam or EA regarding the absence.

This wouldn't be the first time a game was pulled from Steam in recent weeks. When Crysis 2 disappeared from Steam, it seemed like a shot across the bow of Valve's digital service as EA aggressively marketed its own service, Origin. EA claims the issue was merely an "agreement with another download service which violates [Steam's] new rules."

Eurogamer notes that the game's removal coincides with the release of the "Legacy" DLC for Dragon Age 2.

http://www.shacknews.com/article/69452/dragon-age-2-missing-from-steam