Dragon Age Inquisition Release Date: Multiplayer Co-Op Won't Alter Campaign Ending

Sep 11, 2014 02:55 PM EDT

The multiplayer co-op mode for Dragon Age: Inquisition  will be kept separate from the single-player story, according to the latest announcement from the game's developer.

When BioWare recently confirmed that the game was getting the co-op feature, many fans were worried that solo gameplay would be affected. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, BioWare assured concerned Dragon Age fans that co-op mode was going to be a standalone feature instead.

"Our goal with Dragon Age multiplayer is not to affect your single-player campaign," according to the official Dragon Age: Inquisition FAQ post. "We simply want to give our fans the chance to play with their friends for the first time in the Dragon Age universe."

This title is the first game in the series to be featuring multiplayer. Previous Dragon Age installments were essentially single-player games set within an immersive RPG-fantasy landscape. Depending on decisions made during gameplay, players had different endings.

BioWare's other franchise Mass Effect offered a similar single-player experience. That changed when the third installment featured an all new multiplayer co-op mode. Players were then forced to participate in co-op mode in order to get a good ending, provoking outrage amongst gamers.

Inquisition's new cooperative mode involves a four-player team where each member has different skill sets. According to a recent article from IGN, multiplayer offers opportunities for players to look for gold and loot while on a mission for the Inquisitor.

Hence, the co-op story runs parallel to the single-player campaign. The multiplayer gameplay is intended to last between 20-30 minutes. In contrast, Inquisition's single-player campaign can last in excess of 200 hours. So, solo-gameplay will take up the majority of the Inquisition gaming experience.

Dragon Age: Inquisition will be released on Nov. 18 for the Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the PC.

Official Multiplayer Gameplay Trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition