Board Thread:Suggestions and Ideas/@comment-26338521-20150430033531/@comment-14600979-20150430134720

Although confusing, we still call it Petit Computer 3 when referring to SmileBASIC that way, since we actually got the second version.

Anyway, the demonstration you see there was (to my knowledge) not actually released. It was intended to be sample code for other people to make multiplayer programs. So now, to reasons and theories why we don't have multiplayer:


 * First, the fighting game itself was incredibly buggy. Smileboom hasn't made a 2D fighter before, so hey whaddya expect.
 * Without that demo, people in Japan don't seem to know how to implement multiplayer, and as far as I know no programs use it yet. Without any programs actually using it, the feature itself IS useless.


 * But also, Smileboom is cheap and they're running off a free server. Petitcom 3 would have to sell like mad for them to consider upgrading to a paid server, I'm guessing.  And remember, there's less of a following here than in Japan.
 * Even if they did have a server that could handle online communications, and could pay Nintendo (actually I'm not sure quite what the process is for getting an online play server for Nintendo software) IMAGINE the thousands of tiny test programs and "chat room" clones. When someone does come up with a game that people do want to play, because of the nature of PTC, they would be sharing it with  both every other program people are using, and the thousand junk tests that people try out every once in a while.
 * Back to cost. What if Smileboom made people pay for the space they were using with their program?  Would you still want it if you had to pay $7/month to let people fight each other in your game?

Your testing local play is a good point though. However, with Nintendo's plan as it is, quite a few people have multiple 3DS systems at this point. Also remember that in Japan everyone is closer together, so even with lower population there's more of a chance of finding someone with PTC3.

In short, it isn't just a matter of neglecting online play. There are additional costs and issues that Smileboom isn't prepared to face. But on that note, Kobayashi (jokingly) replied to a question that "maybe PTC 4 would have online multiplayer."