Veteran multiplayer developer Digital Extremes will be handling the multiplayer component of BioShock 2, publisher 2K Games said today. London, Ontario-based Digital Extremes will be working in conjunction with primary single-player developer 2K Marin on the project, which is set to ship this fall for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Previous reports had indicated that BioShock 2 would feature a multiplayer component, but no details had been offered. While Digital Extremes' recent titles, such as the third-person shooter Dark Sector, have had a heavy single-player focus, the company has a long history of experience with multiplayer first-person shooters. It collaborated with Epic Games on nearly all the games in the seminal Unreal Tournament franchise, as well as the original predecessor Unreal. According to today's announcement, the multiplayer mode mode is a "rich prequel experience" that "enhances the lore and fiction of the BioShock universe." Maps are set prior to the events of the first game, depicting locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites in their pre-war form. Gameplay is experience point-based, allowing players to unlock more powerful weapons, tonics, and plasmids as they continue to play. Said 2K president Christoph Hartmann, "The fans asked for a multiplayer experience and we answered. With Digital Extremes delivering a multiplayer experience for BioShock 2 that features all of the things that make BioShock unique, we’re holding ourselves to a high standard so that we can deliver the depth and variety that fans of the BioShock universe demand."