Just because they're not willing to pay now doesn't mean they're not going to come back when the game's worth playing. Hell, they stuck with it through its darkest days just because it was free at the time... I'd put money on the bet that they'd be back (along with a lot of those that quit earlier than now) if 2.0 is a success.

In the meantime, it'll be less resources consumed from SE and those that stay will at least be putting money in. As far as the development process goes, it's Win/Win. Those of us that do stay will have great stories of the limited-time-only experience we got to take part in... and the cataclysm of course.