The Mass Effect trilogy left an enormous impact, and its absence from the multiplayer scene in the Legendary Edition left some fans frustrated. Although Mass Effect 3’s co-op mode was optional, its tightly designed gameplay loop helped extend the title’s lifespan and brought a surprising level of tactical depth. Now, as Mass Effect 4 begins to stir, there are increasing signs the next game could revisit that foundation, only this time, the stakes are higher.
BioWare is now a studio with one last franchise in active development. After layoffs hit the Dragon Age: The Veilguard team and signaled a further shift away from multiplayer ambitions for that series, Mass Effect 4 may inherit the burden of exploring both single-player and multiplayer in a single package. If done well, it could strengthen themes the series has long wrestled with: survival, trust, and cooperation across galaxies, though there would be plenty of pressure on BioWare to make it a risk worth taking.
Mass Effect 4 Waiting Room Playlist
With no news about Mass Effect 4 on the horizon, fans might be starved for similar experiences; luckily, there are several great options.
Mass Effect 4 Could Reflect Multiplayer Themes
The teaser for Mass Effect 4 points toward the Destroy ending of Mass Effect 3, where synthetic life is eliminated. If canon, this choice raises difficult questions about the future of a galaxy stripped of its technological backbone. Multiplayer could be more than an add-on, it could serve as a metaphor for rebuilding society after devastation.
Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer operated on a simple premise: teams of four fought off waves of enemies to stabilize locations across the galaxy. This fed directly into the Galactic Readiness system, reinforcing the idea that collective effort impacted the broader war. A return to that concept, especially if reframed around rebuilding efforts, could give Mass Effect 4’s world greater cohesion between narrative and gameplay.
Mass Effect 3 multiplayer also encouraged cross-class synergy. A Sentinel could lock enemies in place while an Adept launched a Biotic combo. Those moments created small, emergent stories, something Mass Effect 4 could replicate if narrative design is integrated into co-op play.
Vertical Combat Could Evolve From Andromeda
While Mass Effect: Andromeda was divisive, its combat system was widely considered a leap forward. Jetpacks, dodges, and combo chains allowed for more vertical and kinetic engagements. That style translated seamlessly to multiplayer, where players often needed mobility to survive escalating threats in tight maps.
If Mass Effect 4 adopts Andromeda's fluid combat, it could support a faster-paced multiplayer experience, one that doesn't feel like a compromise between story and action. New alien threats, remnant technology, or destroyed landscapes could create environments where verticality isn’t just a gimmick but a necessity. That would distinguish it from the grounded, cover-based combat of previous entries.
To avoid past mistakes, BioWare will need to ensure that any multiplayer content feels additive, not obligatory. Many players want to immerse themselves in single-player stories without being nudged into external modes for full completion or rewards. However, multiplayer fans deserve depth, too. Repeating wave modes won't be enough in 2025.
Mass Effect 3's multiplayer originally began as a standalone first-person shooter before becoming a co-op mode tied to the campaign. This early direction, revealed in a GameSpot interview, highlights how seriously BioWare once took the idea of expanding Mass Effect into new gameplay territory.
BioWare Cannot Repeat Veilguard’s Uncertainty
Dragon Age: The Veilguard suffered from a rocky development that saw it pivot from a live-service project to a fully single-player title midway through production. According to reports, this shift fractured its direction and left the team scrambling to adapt systems that were never intended for a solo RPG. As a result, the final product received mixed impressions, and shortly after, most of the team was let go.
Only the Mass Effect team remains at BioWare. That puts intense pressure on Mass Effect 4 to succeed, and if multiplayer is part of the plan, it must be fully conceptualized from day one. A bolted-on mode won’t be enough; it needs to serve the game’s world and themes, avoid story lockouts, and present a gameplay loop that’s worth revisiting for months, not days.
Multiplayer doesn’t have to divide the player base if it's treated with care. Mass Effect 4 has the unique opportunity to reimagine its systems to make teamwork meaningful both narratively and mechanically. This could even pave the way for narrative multiplayer instances—co-op missions that occur outside the main story but deepen the world, much like Mass Effect 2’s loyalty quests did.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 96%
- Released
- May 14, 2021
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- BioWare
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Mass Effect
