As has become the question with every significant remaster, PC fans are already worrying about what will happen to the array of mods available for the Mass Effect trilogy upon the release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. Much like when Bethesda released its Skyrim: Special Edition or when FromSoftware dropped Dark Souls' remaster, revamped versions of old games often mess with the years of mods fans have accumulated, leading PC players to not make the leap to the remastered copy as a result.
As spotted by PC Gamer, It seems BioWare has already considered the modding communities who've spent years crafting additional content for all three Mass Effect games, revealing today that plans are being worked on to ensure the jump to Mass Effect Legendary Edition is smoother than some might expect. Discussing the concept with a fan who claimed they wouldn't pre-order the game due to the lack of mods, project lead on the remaster, Mac Walter, confirmed that BioWare is working with the modding community to keep them informed about compatibility with the Legendary Edition.
"We’ve have been in touch with a few in the modding community," Walters states, even clarifying exactly what he hopes to achieve through collaborating with modders. According to the project director, the aim is to "update everyone on changes that will impact existing mods," and "set the modding community up for success going forward." He teases that players can expect to hear more about the changes to modding closer to release, likely after BioWare has ironed out some firmer plans.
Seeing as integrating previous mods is often not a focal point of remasters, the open dialogue has already garnered a lot of favor among Mass Effect's PC audience. Clearly, BioWare wants this to be the definitive way to play all three sci-fi RPG classics, and ensuring the trilogy's range of fan-made content is accessible is included in that promise. As for how it intends to make mods compatible in the face of such drastic changes to the game remains to be seen, but many will be glad to know it's something BioWare is taking into account.
As for what Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will bring to the table, the game will be a fully-fledged upgrade, including new visuals, changes to Mass Effect 1's Mako controls, a universal character creator, reduced citadel elevator load times, and much more. The title will also contain 40 DLCs, ranging from the Shadowbroker story add-on to the extended Mass Effect 3 ending, which provided closure and more context to the controversial conclusion of the third game. It will be available this May, skipping next-generation consoles and sticking strictly to current-gen offerings.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will launch on May 14 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
Source: PC Gamer