1. It's a mmo 2. Most people will just come here after the event to see anything new.
3. It's Gamespot 4. it's Gamespot and 5 it's not a brand new game in most peoples eyes.

tbf popularity wise we wont know till we get the free for all beta an it'd been going a week or 2 how the game is doing.

On a more interesting note:

A few People have mentioned the fantasy RPG Vs FPS side (other places too not just here) to the lack of popularity and i think its right in 1 or 2 aspects..
A lot of people i know who i drink (this is back when it was released) called it "just another fantasy mmo".
XI is a full fantasy mmo, i think from following conversations that they expectted the more sci-fi/fantasy world in a lot of other FF's.

I'd love to see the more Magitech orientated environment come into the game over the next year, (like small things added every month even if its just visual, not ott that should be saved for new areas).
Airships to start looking more industrial then a weather balloon.
I'm defiantly for keeping a lot of the fantasy, old world style, but i think a balance could be found given what we see the Garlean's using.