I thought this was simply a request for information. This isn't a campaign to change release dates or policies, it is a small group of fans asking for an official answer to the multiplayer question.
If there is no answer, or only a partial answer, we'd like to know that too. Just tell us, straight up, what's going on with the multiplayer aspect of the game. Strong rumor says it isn't going to be in the intial release. If this is true, tell us so. You don't even need to explain why, though explanations are welcome.
If you're going to make the multiplayer later, is it going to be sold, in a box, on a shelf, like Civ II MP Gold, or will it be a free add on for those who bought the game when it first came out? Again, explanations are not necessary, we just want to know what we can expect from an official source.
And as to those who have seemed to attack this question, do you actually NOT want to know. If so, don't read the thread. It's easy really.