So how is the the MP community holding out on this?

I've been flirting around about picking it up since release and still haven't been able to pull the trigger on it. I would really only be interested in the MP coop side of it so that's always concerned me as well.

I realize it's a niche title but I figure there are probably several, such as myself, that have been intimidated by the going rate and thus probably slowed the community growth.

Just to be clear: I'm not knocking the price, I'm genuinely interested in if its holding up and growing.

The MP community still is quite active, although you shouldn't expect to be able to join an ongoing battle at any time. Especially cooperative play doesn't lend to this style of massive brawls anyway, and I daresay that SB Pro rewards decent mission planning more than most other games that are out there.

So it's more like setting up a date in advance and then you gotta be there. This certainly is less convenient than, say, WoW or other massively multiplayer online games. Then again, anyone can set up a session at any point, you don't have to rely on a specific game server or anything.

About 30-40% of all SB Pro players are from the US or Canada, most of the rest from Europe. So if you can accommodate these time zones it should be fairly easy to find someone to play with. There's a TeamSpeak channel for spontaneous meets as well.

I think it's best to ask the players directly, and you'll find them over at SteelBeasts.com in the multiplayer forum.

Or here too. Several of us get together every Monday evening around 8:30 ET, on the SimHQ Steel Beasts TS channel for co-op missions for the past year. You would be welcome to stop in and see what you think.

Yeah I seen you guys playing the other night and that actually got me thinking about it again.

Trying to sell some unused toys to help cushion the blow from the other half

HardTale, just a note letting you know we are still meeting Mondays and you are welcome to sit in regardless of whether you have the sim yet - just hang out if you would like. Panta, James, BB/aka TKOS & I managed to wrestle a victory out of "Platoon Attack in Winter", a scenario we've enjoyed for its quality of design.