BioWare is rumored to be working on both cooperative and competitive modes

Nov 30, 2011 13:10 GMT  ·  By

It seems that the next Dragon Age game might mark a major change for the franchise, as a new rumor says that it will feature, besides the traditional single-player mode, a multiplayer one, complete with PvE (Player versus Environment) cooperative matches and PvP (Player versus Player) competitive fights.

Dragon Age: Origins delighted lots of players with its fantasy story and classic role playing game mechanics, allowing players to engage in a sprawling experience. Dragon Age 2 took the traditional gameplay and added a more dynamic action feel, streamlining plenty of things, which didn’t really go so well with some older fans.

We’ve already heard that Dragon Age 3 is going to try and blend the two experiences for the best result, but it seems that it might also get a brand new feature, in the form of multiplayer.

According to Kotaku, which cites an inside source, the multiplayer mode is being developed with the Frostbite 2 engine, previously used in the Battlefield 3 shooter and NFS: The Run racing game, although it’s not clear if it’s going to be a part of the next full pledged game, or be released as a spinoff.

The multiplayer mode will deliver an arena-based experience, with modes that range from PvE cooperative battles, in which gamers fight against AI-controlled enemies, to PvP matches consisting of competitive experiences against other human players. There’s also a special mode, according to the report, in which players work together to fight massive dragons.

Other details are scant, unfortunately, so it’s unclear just how this multiplayer mode will affect the regular single-player story of the next Dragon Age.

This isn’t that farfetched, however, as BioWare, the developer of Dragon Age, is also bringing a cooperative multiplayer experience in next year’s Mass Effect 3, where players can help progress their single-player narrative by engaging in the Galaxy At War mode, where they fight with friends against waves of enemies.

Expect more details soon enough.