This thread is an instant BSN classic.
In a year everyone will realize how ridiculously maudlin and melodramatic everyone involved is behaving. And that's all I have to say about it.
My prediction is that in a year there wont be any people around to enjoy it.
I think the reason why a lot of people are so angry and hostile are many:
1) They really like the game, have invested lots of time in it, and see the potential.
2) First DLC made the game feel like a beta test, with several bugs attached to it that was at times gamebreaking.
3) None or very little response from Bioware on the issues, even though some of the bugs should have been fixed right away, if it was any other game.
4) The update comes out, listing fixes. Fixes dont work as stated, only about 60% and balance changes has happened that the majority of the community finds unnescessary and misplaced. Also even more bugs are added to the game.
5) No response or post from Bioware regarding the update, only a defencive position taken, not really commenting on the issue but the community feedback.
6) People really like the game, have invested lots of time in it and see its potential, but are unhappy with the changes, the responses and the show of ambition regarding the mode, from Bioware.
Actually, if I was in charge of the department with responsibility for MP I would realise that our player base is what actually makes the game. That doesnt mean that you should answer to any whim of the players or make every change they request, and even make unpopular changes that you feel is required. But I would atleast keep the community posted with constant updates, and teasers to what is happening in the future, just to keep those people who play our game in the loop. This is not happening at all as far as I can see. All I see is them going into defensive mode when the community starts complaining. I would also feel absolutely embarassed about the DLC release. The game had obivous bugs that should have been discovered immediatly byt the Q&A team (which makes the claim that they are the best in the business quite ridiculous), and the launch of the DLC should atleast be held back until I knew that the possibility of fixing eventual problems the community discovered could be fixed, and not release it right before everyone goes on a xmas holiday. That is just bad tactics. Not only that but I would realise that the moment most people will be playing will be during the holidays. If the game then goes from playable to buggy in this timeperiod, it is actually a disaster in my eyes. If I was charge of the MP-mode....
I do like the game, and I will continue playing it, but Im not sure I'd be able to keep grinding the lacking content and the annoying bugs for a few more months before I see any changes. I also do think that they might miss their moment to make this game-mode a hit. This game is mostly regarded as a SP-game by most of the gaming community. Also, most people who recieved the game late over xmas are finishing SP now and trying out MP, finding not only a buggy, hardly playable gamemode (unless you know how to deal with the bugs as experienced players do), but also a community enraged with the developer. I am also watching twitch regularly and checking if anyone is watching any MP streams there, but as far as I can see hardly anyone is streaming MP and very few even SP. You have to go so far down the list you are passing games I wouldnt even dream of that people were streaming to this day, let alone watch. Lastly people dont really take breaks from games. In my experience they rarely ever come back, but move on to new and more interesting stuff. So if people take breaks from your game, I'd be worried.
I hope this gets solved, and that I'm wrong in my predictions - but as ME3MP was, as far as I have been told on these forums, a sleeper hit - I cant really see DAMP becoming that, atleast not yet. I do believe their moment has passed unfortunatly. And at that moment it wasnt good enough.