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: It would be even bigger a travesty than the original anniversary not to
: include authentic multiplayer in a Halo 2 version.
: In fact, without that, it would be beyond pointless.
Another classic Schooly D Guarantee coming at you: if Halo 2 Anniversary does exist, it will have XBL multiplayer.
1. 343's public justification for leaving MP out of HCEA was that it would fragment the player base between HCEA and Reach. This fear is reduced somewhat since Halo 4's player base is so small and the game is so poorly regarded by so many (many of whom love(d) Halo 2) the scope and consequence of fragmentation would be reduced.
2. 343's private justification for leaving MP out of HCEA probably takes into account the fact that online H1 MP would be a disaster for most people. It would simply not be fun except for the super-competitive. For those who didn't cut their teeth on XBConnect, most peoples' memories of H1 MP involve playing with their friends or frat buddies in the same building, usually split-screening, in good casual fun. These friends are typically of average skill, and thus the games are competitive and fondly remembered. But if this person got on H1XBL, it would only be a matter of time until he ran into one of the many squads of ex-TsKers.
Spawn, see (or don't see) someone, three shots dead. Spawn. Three shots dead, spawn-killed (H1's spawns were pretty bad). Spawn. Kind of see someone nope three shots dead. That's the game. No medals, no rewards for assists or vehicular antics... just a (to our casual normie friend) Sisyphian slog through a bland game where the only positive feedback comes from killing and winning -- neither of which you can do.
Halo 2, on the other hand, was much better-suited for online play against players of wildly varying skills. Even when you were matched against someone much better than you, you had (1) more ways to remain competitive or get a satisfying kill, and (2) more ways to have fun and be engaged in the game even while getting slaughtered.