Average Size of RTS Online Community?

Sharp101

Hey all,

I'm having an argument with a friend over the average size of RTS games Online/Competitive communities. I remember reading that its very very small, close to 5-10%.

I even found a developer interview saying this:

What percentage of the current dow2 community would you say are competitive players?

Jonny: around 5%, that's pretty close to most major RTS games

And another site talking about how only 40% of CnC 3 players even went online to begin with.

But I need more evidence. Google has failed me. Anyone know of any articles or links with some numbers?

(My friend is basically arguing that DOW wasn't worth the money because the Multiplayer was unbalanced, and I'm trying to make him realise him that, like most RTSs, we're lucky we get any patches at all considering the relative size of the online community.)

Apogee

I really have no evidence, but I'll chip in that RTS communities have, in my experience over the years, been generally tiny. RTS players tend to, by and large, be more into campaigns than sandbox-style competitions. Lots more people playing DOTA and scenarios in Warcraft 3 than tournaments.

I'm gonna keep an eye out for some info, I'm curious about this too now.

Side note: I believe there was some info around this when C&C: Sole Surivor came out. That bastard child of Red Alert that no one bought, because it was multiplayer only in the days of dial-up. And because few people wanted to play it.

Oh, and fuck DoW II. DoW 1 is great, but gets progressivly worse with each expansion. YMMV.
Many RTSes get great support - Anything Blizzard, for example, or even Company of Heroes, also by Relic.