Below are the results of the ladder survey. Thanks to everyone who took it - if you left comments, I read every single one.

The seasonal ladders scored the highest, especially the seasonal 1v1. Instead of making a seasonal 1v1 and a seasonal 2v2, I just combined them into a single "Seasonal ladder" which can do 1v1 in some seasons, 2v2 in other seasons, and even FFA seasons. See the blog for the announcement if you missed it.

The most important metric I looked at for each response was how many people said they'd play in the ladder. The sum of the first two responses's percentages are shown in parenthesis. One of the challenges of the team ladders is that a 3v3 ladder needs three times as many players to have as healthy ladder as a 1v1 or FFA ladder. At the very least, if support doesn't manifest for a permanent 3v3 ladder, we can do some 3v3 seasons in the seasonal ladder.

Free-for-all ladder: (42)

I cannot wait to play in this ladder! 17%
I would play in this ladder. 25%
I am not sure. 21%
I would not play in this ladder. 25%
The very idea of this ladder repulses me. 8%

3v3 Europe Ladder: (54 / 3 = 18)

I cannot wait to play in this ladder! 26%
I would play in this ladder. 28%
I am not sure. 18%
I would not play in this ladder. 22%
The very idea of this ladder repulses me. 1%


3v3 Non-Europe Ladder: (49 / 3 = 16)

I cannot wait to play in this ladder! 17%
I would play in this ladder. 32%
I am not sure. 30%
I would not play in this ladder. 14%
The very idea of this ladder repulses me. 1%


Seasonal 1v1: (77)

I cannot wait to play in this ladder! 32%
I would play in this ladder. 45%
I am not sure. 15%
I would not play in this ladder. 2%
The very idea of this ladder repulses me. 1%

Seasonal 2v2: (65 / 2 = 32)

I cannot wait to play in this ladder! 20%
I would play in this ladder. 45%
I am not sure. 21%
I would not play in this ladder. 8%
The very idea of this ladder repulses me. 0%

yeah, considering how much more popular the 1v1 ladder is than the 2v2, im not sure if a 3v3 ladder would be very successful.

Well I would like to change my vote in the Seasonal Ladder to "The very idea of this ladder repulses me" if I knew it would start at a time when I can't join because I will be on vacation. :) Looking forward to the next one.

I have no real idea how tedious a task it is to manage micro payments, but how about allowing non-members to buy a limited 60 day membership for the seasonal ladder? Say 1 € per season? Just an idea ..

The idea that current members are too few to have a viable 3v3 Europe ladder is a bit odd to me.

I think 25 to 30+ 3v3 teams are possible:

- Enough players for at least 3-5 teams: Create a 3v3 ladder and there will be new members (how many?) who join simply to play 3v3 Europe ladder games. There are so many players who don't participate in forum discussions. I think a few people would be surprised by how many would become members if a 3v3 Europe ladder existed.
- Possibility of 25 teams: Based on the 1v1 ladder's roster, I'd estimate there are 150-200+ active members (active 1v1 ladder players plus an estimate of active members who don't like 1v1 games). Since 54% of the survey responses are positive, is it safe to assume at least 75 current members would join a 3v3 Europe ladder? (That is: Could the survey be taken as a scientific representation of member intent, give or take 5%, as if it were a phone survey of 3000 citizens extrapolated to determine voter intent in a political election?)
- There are 50+ new members who joined since October and more continue to trickle in. I doubt the survey represents this group very well, since they are the least likely to participate in forum discussions. Yet, my experience in making games is that these players are the hungriest for any type of game. I think they would be more likely to join a 3v3 ladder (as a percentage) than those who have been members for 6 months or more. If about 50% represents the intent of older members, I think 60%+ would represent the intent of the newest.

Is there any harm in making the 3v3 ladder and letting the die-hards play each other again and again until new members join it (assuming it is not viable enough yet, which I disagree with)?

But if you see the blog post, if they didn't vote on anything, Fizzer sent an email out to them to either fill it out or get their vote. It's hard to bank on thinking that a lot of people will join and buy up memberships. I don't think Fizzer wants to put a lot of time into a 3v3 if not a lot of people actually want to participate. It's hard to actually gauge how many people are going to participate if they're not members.

But there's only one way to find out if it'll be a popular ladder and honestly it's to just try it out. But if it doesn't pick up traction or membership from non-members joining..then there's a possibility it could be pulled.

Another thought: If the idea is "the 2v2 ladder only has 20 teams so a 3v3 in Europe couldn't do any better," I would say the 2v2 map is an inferior map in the eyes of many. Many of us play the 2v2 ladder because there is no other option to compete, not because we like the map/settings. With a 3v3 in Europe there would be some of that too. But I think it is a more popular map: More real-time team games are in Europe than on any other map. For many team players, comparing the 2v2 ladder's map and Europe might be like comparing a used car and a new BMW. I think a 3v3 ladder in Europe would at least equal the 2v2 ladder over time (finding teammates takes time).

wow seeing HHH and Yuanshuai form a new ladder team now :)

btw, i only wish to play present 2v2 ladder now i'm playing + 3v3 or 4v4 Europe ladder. No interest on ffa's or other maps so far.

I think I made the 1% of the 3v3 Euro ladder repulsing me. I can't stand that map, and that's the only reason I would not play in the Euro ladder. I think a 3v3 ladder with random maps would be much better (create a playlist with a few maps, much like Call of Duty and MLG does it).

I like the idea of random maps, but I prefer the idea of a team ladder where the teams are randomly created. Then over time you get to play with and against everyone and the best players will rise to the top. If it was multi attack as well it could ba a great ladder (for me anyway)