I agree completely with the article. This is a multiplayer game that doesn't provide any tools to actually engage in much multiplayer. There aren't any private chat channels, no grouping and not even your most basic local chat channel. Yes there are many anti-social types on this forum who want nothing more than to hide in their own little corner of solo mode and never see another human. But regardless of what the forum population is, the majority of people who will buy this game on release are going to expect some multiplayer interaction in their multiplayer game.
As for specific advantages of local chat, a big one is it allows on the fly grouping with like minded players. Let's say I have a kill mission on a specific npc but I can't kill him alone. Another player is in the same situation. We could either both fail it or we could request help in local chat. If the other player in the same situation sees it, we can team up so both of us can complete the mission. We may then part and never speak again or we may team up on a more regular basis. This is how guilds are formed typically. Yes there are those massive multigaming bahemoths like Goonswarm but most in game guilds are formed via regular cooperation among like minded players of that specific game. Think that's bogus? All but one corporation I joined in my 6+ year time playing eve was created that way (the one that wasn't I left after only a few days). My current squad in War Thunder and IL2:BoS was made that way too. I couldn't tell you when I joined them, I simply found myself flying with them regularly and at some point along the way I officially became a member.
Arguing against including basic features such as chat channels because you have no interest in them is little different than arguing trade ships shouldn't be in game because I have no interest in them. Don't like it? Don't use it. It's real simple and not having it is a game breaking issue for the vast majority of the gaming community.
I haven't actually commented on this type of thing much in the past, mostly because I've been running with the assumption that basic features such as local chat, grouping and other core MP features will be included no matter what. The recent Q&A with DB does suggest that 3.9 and Gamma will be filling out the MP component in addition to performance improvements. If my assumption is wrong however, my predicted rating of 8/10 for this game instantly drops to a 2/10. It really is that critical.
