to give the visual clarity and frame rates and general "next gen" level of graphics and do it twice or four times on one screen. the same people that bitch about splitscreen would also be the same people that would bitch about it if graphical it look like a 360 game and had the ability to to duplicate it on 2-4 screens. blame it on AAA "style" of graphical improvement, halo place as a flagship franchise, a style of multiplayer gaming largely gone extinct from the rise of broadband. mostly blame it on the two faced nature of the gaming community. "feature i never use is gone, MUST RAGE ON THE NET, pre-orders anyway" damn if they do and damned if they dont.