Well, it's been 6 months since RO2 was released. I've been playing it pretty much exclusively and I've been having a really good time. There's definitely some bugs still, but it's good to be playing a very "PC" game.

The SDK has proven a valuable tool as mutators and maps are coming at a fairly steady pace. I think we've got 7-10 community maps and a good portion of game tweaking mutators as well. The planned mods such as In Country Viet Nam and Rising Storm are still being worked on as well.

The community has definitely gotten smaller over these past 6 months, but it seems to have hit a steady number now. That number is low by any count, but it seems stable.

TWI has been busy implementing game tweaks in their ongoing beta testing servers. I think it's a cool way to do it; let players get in there and see what issues there might be and what suggestions they can make, before a retail version patch. Get most of the bugs worked out before hand. Plus, TWI just added Classic Mode to the beta server. It's meant to emulate RO1 more and it's geared towards a lot of the old fans who had issues with RO2's play style. While I personally didn't have any issues with RO2's play style, Classic Mode has some really good tweaks in it.

Overall, while I think TWI could have pushed back the launch to work out some of the release bugs, I think it's pretty cool that they're doing things the community is asking for and steadily improving the game.

If you haven't checked it out in awhile, or wrote it off, maybe give it another look or check out the tweaks being made in the beta.

They're doing a beta again 6 months after the game is released. I enjoy the game and I have a deep respect for the work that these guys have done for us and are still doing, but after telling people that the game has gone back into beta they completely turned their backs on it. Sad really. Can I blame them for thinking that, though? Not really.

have they implemented a hold to iron sight instead of toggle yet?

Not yet but they committed themselves to add it in one of the next big patches.

RO2 is the only online fps game that I can see myself playing, actually. I have stepped completely away from the genre since November, when Skyrim addicted me like crack. I currently have almost 500 hours in that one. (I keep starting it over in my attempt to build the perfect warrior, lol, and because it just doesn't get friggin old) But, when I return to multiplayer fps gaming, RO2 and/or the conversion mods will be what I will be playing.

I rank TWI up there with Valve and Bethesda when it comes to giving it's community plenty of love. I hope RO2 can be resurrected from the almost dead and become the game it has the potential to be.

They are taking steps to amend things, but the question always remains will it be possible to gain back old players and obtain new players.

Since they are introducing the beta instead of having current patches and working somewhat with user feedback. It can make people that want patches to stay and play there for a while. Allowing tripwire in the meanwhile to collect updates and patches, and actually bring something big out like the witcher did.

The game started so bad, that if TWI manages to fix things up, a relaunch with a new marketing campaign would give the biggest chance of success I'd think. Coupled with some free weekends.