I can just picture Carmack behind him holding a white sack with a dollar sign on it.
Well, it wouldn't be Carmack, but who the hell else works at Id these days? I couldn't think of any other names.
Quake 4 has fewer players online now, during its peak, then Quake 3 currently does. It has less than Swat 4 and Vietcong. It has less than a third of SoF2. It has half of Halo.
It might have twice FEAR, but it's not taking off, and unless monetary payments are involved from publisher to league... I can't see it taking off as the "next big competitive game."
-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature -
http://www.deathwishinc.com/