I hope SE learns a few lessons from this.

[Khel]

Not the servers, you don't put a bottle neck like this right at the beginning, no one has time to spread out in their pprogress.

[Deceptus]

Not the servers, you don't put a bottle neck like this right at the beginning, no one has time to spread out in their pprogress.

Pretty much this.

[MrSmiley]

Not the servers, you don't put a bottle neck like this right at the beginning, no one has time to spread out in their pprogress.

This is the biggest issue, its plainly poorly designed right there.

[Hyperia]

Not the servers, you don't put a bottle neck like this right at the beginning, no one has time to spread out in their pprogress.

This ^

Looks like they forgot a tenant of software design called Critical Path, its been around since the 1950's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method