Mass Effect 3 multiplayer confirmed

Ever since Mass Effect 3 was announced earlier on in the year, rumours regarding multiplayer in a Mass Effect universe have been swirling around the Internet. While many publications claim to have the inside scoop on the game’s multiplayer component, today we get word from BioWare themselves that Mass Effect 3 will ship with multiplayer.

Come at me bro

The multiplayer mode called Galaxy at War is basically a four player co-operative mode where you’ll be able to team up with your friends to save the Galaxy, kind of like the Horde mode from Gears of War 2 and 3. Here’s the official scoop from the BioWare forums :

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.

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.

Mass Effect 3 releases for the Xbox360, PS3 and PC by March 2012.