Wow HiTech!

[FLS]

If the game is going so great, how come the two late war arenas were about full all the time and now about 150 players is about normal, plus the early and mid war arenas are gone. I would like to know.

Nobody is saying the game is going great, they are saying it's a great game. But, it's not for a casual gamer.

AH3 is a niche game like WB. When there were fewer choices available to players FA, AH, and WB all had a community of players.

In AH2 a lot of players were in the DA instead of the MA because the MA didn't suit them.

When more choices became available FA, AH, and WB, all lost players. When FA shut down many players came to AH2 and for a time boosted the declining numbers.

The only game that is like AH3 now is WB and they aren't doing as well.

[CptTrips]

If the game is going so great, how come the two late war arenas were about full all the time and now about 150 players is about normal, plus the early and mid war arenas are gone. I would like to know.

Internet bandwidth increased enough and latency decreased enough to make other multiplayer game types besides flight sims viable.  It turns out a lot of those 700 players in 2003 weren't completely and totally dedicated to nothing but WWII aircraft to the exclusion of all else.  It turns out they probably just wanted to blow people up online.  At the time, Aces High was the best in class option.  But they were always primed to move on as soon as other genre became available that were more natural fits for game-play preferences. 

Then competition came in with the big money resources to make more broadly approachable, popular multi-player internet game genre with massive budgets for AAA graphics and monitization models that the market found more appealing, and enough advertising millions to make sure every youngster has their upcoming game on their wishlist 6 months before release.


It was either all that, or the sticking to 3-sides that did it. 

[Chalenge]

Nope. Hitech focused upon making the game for a small group of players that remain loyal to this day. That is all.

[Ramesis]

I am very grateful that I have been able to enjoy this great game over the years.

Thank you HiTech!

+1

[Easyscor]

The man's got patience! Good thing it isn’t me, there’d be a lot of PNGs lol.

 

[Mano]

I am very grateful that I have been able to enjoy this great game over the years.

Thank you HiTech!

+1

 

[DaddyAce]

I am very grateful that I have been able to enjoy this great game over the years.

Thank you HiTech!

+1   

[JimmyD3]

Love this game. Nothing I have found out there comes close.

Merry Christmas Hitech and Happy New Year to you, your crew and your family. Looking forward to what 2020 will bring.

[Puma44]

Great product HiTech!  You’ve got this dialed in so close to real world flying, it’s amazing!  Keep up the great work and have a fantastic New Year.   

[fd ski]

i remember far worst flame war/improvement suggestions back in late 90s in WB He's immune by now.