It is what it is... The simple truth

[Thebob89]

Of course they can control the market with various methods if they really wanted to.

You seem to be forgetting the one simple golden rule in life.

The one with the gold MAKES the rules.

Simple.

Weather or not they have the ability isn't the question, the question is is appeasing a minute player base while enraging the larger worth the net loss. It's a question of weather or not the actions would cause the larger player base to pull their subs. Honestly, if it were me I would gladly loose the business of 100 if it kept the business of a thousand.

The popular choice may not always be the right one, but without the masses the tower will fall.

[Feilina]

So we get to a point where SE has or has not to risk something.

My observation, and so my oppinion, is, they do not risk because they are frightend. That, with history in mind, is not plain wrong but I believe they made decissions while they built 2.0 and can't move away from those.

That old giant SE has been surprised at launch and reacted because of that surprise pretty slowly. (adding server capacities)
I believe they do it again with economy/crafting.

While they try to turn in the right direction their numbers diverge even more and so is turning even more harder...