Fresh Mass Effect 3 co-op details released

A brand new wodge of details about Mass Effect 3’s (ever so slightly controversial) multiplayer mode have been released upon an unsuspecting internet.

In an interview on the BioWare blog, Mass Effect 3 producer Jesse Houston answered a bunch of questions and offered up some new information about the game’s upcoming co-operative multiplayer mode.

Here’s what you might like to know:

• Co-op will currently be online-only at launch – there will be no local split screen. This is “definitely on the table as something [BioWare] might add”, however.
• There is a “sunset plan” in place where the servers will get taken offline in the future. “When we do take them down, we will make sure there are options so players who are playing don’t feel abandoned”.
• The PC version of Mass Effect 3 will need an internet connection to perform a one-time authentication when initially launched.
• Kinect will not work in multiplayer on Xbox 360.
• Decisions made in Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 will not affect the Galactic Readiness level, but will have an impact on the overall Galaxy at War system.
• Multiplayer will “definitely have an effect on your SP experience through the Galaxy or War system.”
• While Mass Effect 3’s “absolute best ending” can be obtained solely by single-player, multiplayer “gives you new options to be able to get that ending”.
• There “will be a lot of interesting races that you may not expect to be able to play as because they wouldn’t normally be looked upon as characters who are for the right normally”. I want to see the Elcor, BioWare.
• Co-op characters will level up independently and can be upgraded in a similar fashion to the characters in single-player.
• Additional co-op characters will be released as DLC.
• There will be a system in place to deal with griefers, but this details of this have yet to be confirmed.
• There is ambient dialogue and squad banter.
• Leaderboards are included.
• Friendly-fire will not be an option at launch, but may be added in a patch.
• Weapon and armour customisation will be included, and will be slightly different to that of the single-player campaign.
• Co-op will be included on the “main disc” of the game.
• There will “definitely” be integration with the BioWare Social Network, but the specifics have yet to be announced.
• There are no plans to allow players to make their own servers.

VideoGamer.com put its fingers to the controller last month and actually played Mass Effect 3 in co-op. “If multiplayer turns out to be merely a competent add-on, it won’t be the end of the world,” said Neon in his Mass Effect 3 preview.

Mass Effect 3 will be released for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on March 9 2012.