Well, we are all aware of the current sorry state of affairs with regard of MP. Here is what I think could be the reason behind it. Call it a conspiracy theory if you wish but in my opinion this is the most reasonable explanation of the observed facts. I would be the most happy if CA would prove me wrong.

Facts:
  • decentralised servers
  • no foyer
  • practically no MP maps (there is only one -!!!- unbalanced –i.e. big hill- 3v3 map)


Further observations:
  • best game balance since STW
  • hundreds of SP maps that would be suitable for MP (just click anywhere on the plains of US or the steppes of east Europe)
  • custom made maps are not compatible with the patch


So why do we have all this? It seems as if CA would do his best to ruin the MP side of the game. Surely this is not their interest, or is it? This is a silly suggestion, or not?

Further observation:
  • the MP campaign is almost ready
  • there is a huge demand of it


Think with the head of the SEGA big guys. MP was a huge financial failure in all series of TW. Even the most popular foyers barely had more than a hundred people online at a time. What is this compared to the thousands playing MMORPG or RTS games? We all know that the ratio of players playing MP to SP is something like 2:98. Sure the budget needed to make MP functional is much larger part of the whole than this. And now CA wants another MP service. Would you be ready to finance two unprofitable MP services at the same time? Hell no! Imagine the following conversation:

CA: we want a new MP campaign, there is huge demand for that.
SEGA: but you already have an MP service
CA: yes but
SEGA: and it is a huge failure time after time
CA: yes but
SEGA: and now you want another?
CA: yes but
SEGA: alright, here is the deal: you can have your new one but you have to close down the old.
CA: sure, no problem.

Of course the problem for CA that they somehow have to sell this move. Obviously it comes handy to have some figures and stats to show how few people played ETW MP battles, so they had „no choice” but to close it down. This means that now they have to make it sure that indeed only a few people plays it. How to do that? Well, a few hints:

Decentralise the servers so that people do not see each other. If you read the other forum you will see threads made by new players complaining that they see only 2 or 3 games hosted. Is it possible, they ask, that there is only so few people playing ETW MP? Hell, no. There are ten download servers or more. Multiply that with 2 or 3 and you have 20 or 30 games hosted. Not much but still it is on a different scale.

Prevent them to communicate with each other. Give them no central foyer. Let’s say we have 2 or 3 games hosted per server, still there could be a couple of people, 5 to 6 let’s say or more waiting to get a game. In all previous TW games these people could see each other. No they cannot. There is no way to know how many people are online who would be ready to play MP! In all previous series when you saw 2 or 3 games hosted but you saw 5 or 6 people waiting you knew you can get a game. In ETW it is impossible, and you log off shaking your head: „so few people, so few …”.

Give them one unbalanced 3v3 map so they get bored quickly and prevent them to organise any tourneys. Even the most enthusiastic players get bored playing the very same maps. Fun part of MP is playing the big battles, 3v3 and 4v4, and we have only one map each!!! Furthermore 3v3s are essential part of the clan tourneys; this is where clans can show (off) their true worth as a team. Tourneys however need balanced flat or flattish maps. We have none!

Prevent any third party to provide these services. Lordz released a custom mappack with several very good 3v3 maps. Guess what? Few days later the patch comes out and all custom maps became incompatible with the game.

This is a crying shame (and regardless whether my „theory” is correct or not) because:
  • ETW has the best balance since STW.
  • ETW has the best maps of all TW series.
  • Providing only the core services that were present in all previous TW games (i.e. central server, foyer, variety of maps) this game would be a huge hit.


All previous releases missed out on something, RTW had neither the balance nor the maps, MTW2 had game breaking exploits (like push through) and the same ugly maps. Finally ETW has both balance and beautiful (SP) maps, and with STEAM a potential to draw from a large pool of players ... then comes CA and denies the essential core services. I am afraid that the deal is done, the course is set and no amount of complaining will change that. Crying shame because this could have been the best TW MP of all times.

I have two bets:
1, The next TW release will include an MP campaign but there will be no MP battles.
2, This thread will be locked and deleted in two or three hours.