Releasing a demo without multiplayer support is what worries me. It's a little surprising actually, considering the market out there with AOEIII, EmpireAtWar, and BFME2...
It always worries me when MP seems to take a back seat.
SSSI (Rick Goodman) had a wonderfull game in Empires: Dawn of the Modern World. I have no idea how it sold, but I do seem to remember this attitude around multiplayer not being that important...we didnt really get many patches, we had some ugly issues with the lobby, and what could have been a thriving community simply didnt happen...we didnt get an expansion, and the game died...
Empire Earth, not the greatest story there either...
I really think this game could be something special, but only if there is good MP support. I mean, how many skirmish games against the computer AI can you play before well, the game becomes boring?
Am I being cynical, or do the RTS companies seem to (arguably rightfully so), only care about getting the game out and getting that massive first buy?
It just 'feels' like we are back in a very familiar place, which is, the online MP community will get minimal support and what looks like the best RTS since Rise of Rome might be another one of these games that fizzles out...
It's not the 60 bucks I will spend that worries me, it's the fact that what appears to be the game that will get a constant bevy of players online and competitive play, will yet again die. I think that would be bad for the RTS community in general...