It strikes me as odd that so many people here say that no MP is a good thing but they've never played a MP game.
I've voted with $ and cancelled my order. Silly perhaps but I've done so on principle that MP should have been included from the onset.
The euphoria here over the new version although justified in some way for the improvements in the game, is in another way just falling into the vendor's trap. Power to Firaxis for sucking you all in.
I strongly suspect that you'll see a pay as you go MP version ... meaning there will be a monthly fee to sign up for with only a MPG edition of Civ III. I know nothing to substantiate this - its only my conjecture but it will be a lucrative market for Firaxis to exploit.... we'll see in the next few months if I'm right.