That makes me sad, but if the devs want to concentrate on Africa and West-India...there is nothing to argue about.
If the map ends at Port Blair and Aceh there wont be a Malakka and Batavia and no Nagasaki. I just can´t imagine a VOC without an HQ on Batavia (since 1619) and a fight for Malakka (1511-1641 portugies, -1824 dutch and -1957 britisch) and the Molukken for a spice monopol between the companies. The goal for the VOC was it from the beginning to trade with India, China and Japan from a base in the Malaiic Archipelago.
And for Japan: Sure it was closed, but before 1639 portugies and dutch had nice profits from trading with Japan. And after 1639 the VOC had a monopol on the trade with Japan and they got ship loads of silver from them for a very good trading rate. Around 1690 were up to 7 ships a year heading for Dejima/Nagasaki from Batavia and despite the financial burden of the isolated outpost on Dejima, the trade with Japan was very profitable for the VOC that got profits of 50% and more. The trade declined however in the 18th century, as only two ships per year were allowed to dock at Dejima and the VOC came into financial trouble.
Japan was after 1639 only accessable for the dutch, so if the game would be historical correct...yes...it makes no sense in terms of balancing to include that part of the world. But still...it´s a game and we can change history in games. That is what makes it fun. With every new campain we try to do something different. And a battle in south-east-asia for a spice monopol would be exactly what i want for a game that makes the EICs playable. Start with a kontor in europe and get a trading network under my control as far as history would let me possibly get (Nagasaki).
Anyways, that´s just my oppinion and i still look forward to the relaese
One last question about the game´s dimensions: What is the covered time period in the game? 1600-1800?