As one within EB said some days ago:
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I'm not sure if everyone has read this blog entry by Mike Simpson from CA, but it seems like they're in big trouble. After reading his previous blog entries (specially the first one) and being a RL project manager myself, I would say that CA is probably in great danger.

The combination of low rates from gamers for ETW, high costs on trying to solve the BAI and CAI (now completely lost since the main AI programmer left them), the high pressure from SEGA, and probably a few more internal problems have forced this project responsible to come out publicly and make a big "mea culpa".

Personally, I think he's doing a lousy job because he's being very lame:

- he says the US public prefers a non-aggressive AI because they want to set the pace of the game... I'm not sure if he's calling them stupid or hinting that the hardcore fans are asking too much from the AI

- he says SEGA pushed them to release the game by Feb09, hinting that it was their fault for a rushed product

- he calls deserter to the main AI programmer who left them recently... ouch!

- he admits that the BAI in ETW is very bad but now they are moving on with new code to NTW and cannot reuse it for fixing ETW... he even asks for a C++ coder to join CA because he will find a place for him...

As a RL project manager myself, I can almost recognize the pattern here:

- this guy's job is on the line - his desperate tone and he can't hide that he was forced to create that blog against his will, to make "damage control" on the irate fans - his job only, or the entire ETW team?

- possibly CA is also in danger of closing if NTW doesn't become a success - it's not very clear, but I have that feeling

- they are under stress from SEGA and probably won't have money and/or people good enough to make a new RTW. - he praises them so much that it almost sounds like "don't fire them because they are awesomely good, although they made a bad job in ETW"...

I don't know guys, but I'm starting to doubt if we'll ever see an RTWII someday...
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Fisherking asked how we thought CA was doing and I thought this post was nice. And just to be on the absolute clear, this is an opinion/impression and not facts.