While the franchise is known for its storytelling, the Mass Effect series' multiplayer had a small but loyal following. Introduced in Mass Effect 3, fans of the series have been wondering if the multiplayer component will return for the upcoming Legendary Edition. With the collection's release in May, BioWare has confirmed that multiplayer will indeed be cut to make room for the collection's larger features and new additions.

In an interview with Game Informer, BioWare's Kevin Meek and Mac Walters gave more insight into the upcoming Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Specifically, they touched on the fact that Mass Effect 3's multiplayer won't return for the remastered collection and explained why.

Meek feels that the development team have "chosen the things that are what the majority of our fans were most passionate about." On multiplayer, he added that it would have been "really hard" to have the functionality and logistics lined up for launch. Additionally, he explained that the studio also would have had to overcome notable hurdles such as post-launch support, and whether to feature cross-platform play with past iterations of the game.

Based on their comments, it seems sensible that BioWare wouldn't have dedicated the resources to a relatively niche feature. While the Mass Effect multiplayer has its fans, ultimately it seems to the Legendary Edition's benefit to favor the collection's single-player components. Though some fans will likely be bummed, the Legendary Edition will still offer an appealing package for players. Aside from including all three of the original games, it will also feature enhanced visuals and all of the series' DLC released to date.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on May 14, 2021. The collection will also be playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.