So what's new? Not that there's a shortage of amazing levels and game modes already, but the changes in the works are impressive -- particularly a new as-yet-unnamed mode (currently code-named "conquest") set to replace assault mode. Imagine a multiplayer map potentially as large as three onslaught maps with assaultlike objectives and even a limited form of resource management planned. But it's so early on, says Steve, that "we only have conquest on paper at this point."

But Epic is focusing on far more than just the game's multiplayer aspects -- namely, creating a far deeper single-player game.

"Statistically speaking, more people play offline than they do online," Jim explains. His bit of trivia momentarily slays me, until I consider the number of times I've abandoned an online ass-kicking in favor of honing my skills with the relatively safer A.I.

"The single-player game has always been about giving the multiplayer experience offline," Steve says, "but we see a lot of room for improvement." Right now, it's a disjointed set of maps -- you play a match here, you play a match there -- and this tournament story kind of ties together why you're playing these different matches. We want to tie it together more by giving a lot more personality to the bots."