p2p and implications on server population

[Preypacer]

That is pretty much the issue here. You could have an x number of people subscribing but they are all spread out on all different servers so it would seem like no one is playing on some servers but other servers are fine... That's not good for the game's health in the long run.

Up 'til 1.18, the game's population was pretty much as you describe it... They kept the game going.

I swear it's like people are already completely forgetting the events of the past year and looking at the game as though it's "just like any other MMO on the market backed by a company that's just like every other MMO dev on the market".

It should be abundantly and undeniably clear by this point that that is not the case.