Crysis' multiplayer mode chased the right trend at the wrong time. Once, the success of the Battlefield series suggested a future in which competitive first-person shooters would grow in scale and complexity. Sequels to Unreal Tournament and Halo (as well as United Offensive and a Half-Life 2-themed army-versus-army game allegedly in development at Valve) introduced Battlefield-inspired bits. The genre maintained momentum -- with Frontlines: Fuel of War, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Unreal Tournament 3, and Crysis' online component, the following generation of shooters would emphasize and elaborate on vehicular combat and territorial control. None of these games, however, proved immensely popular. Instead, players turned to a pair of structurally streamlined, infantry-focused sequels: Team Fortress 2 and Call of Duty 4. Suddenly, it seemed gamers were a lot less interested in aircraft and massive maps than persistent perks, stat tracking, and Achievements.
