Howabout BIS exposing a decent (well detailed) API for collecting stats on server side. From there on, any 3rd party could create what ever kind of stats/ranking/blingbling they want. If it turns right and with a bit of luck, it might even promote the game and help selling for broader audience. Ok, im not such a fan of ranks (even more so if there is something locked up in the beginning) nor playing game just for some stats. On the other hand, some post game breafing analytics could turn out to be cool actually. Even more so if it emphasize team playing and team skills and team success (and failures too).
Ups:
1# BIS do not need to turn valuable time to think about actually stats implementation, only API (which they probably have to do anyway...just expose it externally with some docs and maybe minimal source library or something)
2# some 3rd party could invent something huge (like Bungie community in Halo Reach, no i do not play it myself at all...)
3# this might eventually satisfy both parties, those who do not like stats that much and those who are stats junkies (and wants those colorful commendations..all of them)
4# make a server option to turn API on/off
5# even today, some servers do stats collecting (i believe it is through battleye but im not sure)
Downs:
1# are there any if applying stats is volunteer and BIS do not need to take any time on this? (actually it would not change attitude from what it is currently, just expose some better, well mannered API)
2# community driven stuff can not be predicted and then obviously K/D for the masses will occur
Last but not least, this "feature" is not very high on priority list. Maybe even first make the game and then later on introduce API with a patch or something.
