Dragon Age: Inquisition will feature a four-player co-operative mode, Bioware has revealed.

The first time the series has included it, the multiplayer has been described as an “action-packed dungeon-crawling four-player co-op experience.”

“Following the success of Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode, Dragon Age multiplayer includes fast-paced matches requiring strategic team gameplay while adding Inquisition’s tactical class combat and extensive loot and crafting systems.” The developer said in a FAQ on the games official site.

The multiplayer has been developed alongiside the games’ single player, with Bioware stating it has been in development for two and a half years. It will initially feature twelve characters, four for each of the games classes (warrior, rogue and mage), with new characters to be introduced after the games launch.

Each multiplayer character will have a level cap of 20. When you reach this level you can then promote your character to get an extra attribute point as well as more prestige points for the leaderboards.

Bioware has assured players that this mode, unlike the multiplayer of Mass Effect 3, will be a standalone section of the game, rather than tying in to the single player. “Our goal with Dragon Age multiplayer is not to affect your SP campaign.” They wrote. “We simply want to give our fans the chance to play with their friends for the first time in the Dragon Age universe.”

Because these are being billed as separate, items will not be transferable between the two modes: “We wanted to make sure that the two economies are separate, which will allow a stronger progression in both SP and MP.

“If you play Dragon Age multiplayer, you will learn how each class plays a different role in combat, how different skills work, and how your party composition can give you a tactical advantage on the battlefield. This knowledge is transferable to SP, but items are not.”

There will also be no achievements related to the multiplayer, with Bioware saying that they will have a number of challenges to keep players engaged instead of achievements.

There is going to be a form of in-game currency, but they insist that any items in-game can be purchased with gold that you earn through playing: “Everything is accessible with gold coins. You can use premium currency, but you don’t have to.”

Finally, they noted that an app called Inquisition HQ will be released to allow you to access your multiplayer characters and loadouts on-the-go.

What are your thoughts on a multiplayer mode for Dragon Age? What would you like to see them do with it?

Take a look at the multiplayer below: