Well let's hope they're growing and not just replacing some people that jumped ship. People jumping ship usually results in "urgent" job reqs. to replace them.

  I am going to freak out like Michael Bay if this game sells less than Xenoblade.

Why not? Wii U games hardly have multiplayer.

The game has had multiplayer since last year at this time.

I did the same for the new Metroid game before E3 because I already 'knew' it was coming.

Even in the first trailer you knew that the game will have some kind of multiplayer, the hub shows at the left some kind of messaging system. It looks like you can play by yourself or add 2 more players to your party and play co-op, instead of having AI partners.

As long as I don't have disadvantages of playing alone (e.g AI being shit) I have no problem with that.

Is there any relation to this Monolith and the Monolith that is developing the Hobbit video game (the one on the cover of Game Informer)?

Nope.

I think its funny how people assume this would be for X.

Its obviously not. That is the companies main project and all the head honchos are focused on it.

These hires are obviously for other titles. Really... after the game has been unveiled for more than one year, now they would go and get combat designers? We already saw the combat. Is a new guy gonna come in now and redesign the whole thing? No, it doesnt make sense.