Interconnected Gameplay – What It Is and Does It Work?

In recent years, interconnected games—where player actions in one title affect situations or options in another—have been showing up more often.

One of the most well-known early examples came from Mass Effect 3. Alongside its console and PC release, BioWare launched the mobile shooter Mass Effect: Infiltrator. Intel collected in the mobile game could boost your Galactic Readiness score in ME3, potentially unlocking new ending options.

The Table of Contents

Around the same time, the free iOS app Mass Effect: Datapad let players track in-game events, read lore, receive character messages, and play mini-games—all of which also nudged that readiness score higher.

Cloud Gaming & Cross-Platform Connections

These cross-platform experiences let players take Mass Effect with them on the go, gaining small but tangible benefits in the main game while giving BioWare a way to expand into more of a player’s daily life. The key, however, was that the connection was lightweight—you didn’t need to buy Infiltrator or own an iOS device to enjoy ME3. This kept the core experience intact but limited how meaningful the connections could be.

EverQuest’s Approach

A more ambitious example came when Sony announced that, ahead of the launch of EverQuest Next, they would release EverQuest Next Landmark, a free-to-play sandbox building game.

Exceptional player creations in Landmark could be permanently placed into the MMO’s world, and certain collected items could carry over into EverQuest Next. It’s a bit like building something in Minecraft and finding it placed in World of Warcraft.

Throwback to 2001 – Zelda’s Linking Magic

This idea reminded me of what Nintendo pulled off back in 2001 with The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons (re-released on the 3DS Virtual Console). One focused on puzzles, the other on action—but beating one unlocked new items, an alternative plot, and an extended ending in the other. Nintendo even called the process “linking.”

This model still stands out because it offers two unique ways to explore a shared world with substantial rewards, not just a few bonus items or score boosts.

Where They Are Now
Both Oracle games are playable via Nintendo’s services and were added to Nintendo Switch Online in 2023. For a deeper dive into the 90s era, check out the best 90's Legend of Zelda games.

Other Experiments in Interconnection

Defiance

A SyFy TV show and MMO where events, characters, and even contest-winning players could cross between the two mediums. Storylines sometimes started in one and continued in the other. While innovative, the TV show ended in 2015, taking much of the concept’s momentum with it.

Where They Are Now
The Defiance MMO servers shut down in 2021.

Dust 514 / EVE Online

A PS3 shooter connected directly to the EVE Online MMO. PC players could assist PS3 ground troops with orbital bombardments, while infantry could fight back against ships in orbit. The concept was exciting, but execution fell short.

Where They Are Now
Dust 514 was shut down in 2016, but EVE Online remains active and is one of the longest-running MMOs out there.

Why It’s Hard to Get Right

I love the concept of interconnected games, but it’s not surprising that successful examples are rare. Making one great game is hard. Making two great games and building a meaningful link between them? That’s three big things you have to nail.

Still, I believe we’ll see it done brilliantly again—something that grabs players’ imaginations the way Zelda: Oracle did. EverQuest’s approach might have been a contender, but there are probably new models for connecting games that haven’t even been tried yet.

What kind of game connections would you want to see next?

Frequently Asked Questions About Interconnected Gameplay