Animl, I love you dog, but AH has to compete too, and If players are moving and hyping other games, there is a reason...
My dad told me one time. I asked him "why would the auto parts store want the same business right across the street. He said, well, if this store don't have the part he can point me across the street and say that store over there has it, and they will do the same for this store... I shrugged and realized it was a good point.
It made me realize that competition can have its advantages for both businesses. Every time someone posts about another game, we have a slew of guys who come back and talk about why AH has its own advantages as well. And that may cause players to consider AH or stay with it. AH might get brought up in another forum and players may see that and give AH a try based on its differences even tho most players in that forum may crap all over it. It's basic nature and that's what makes things advance.
Also, animl, there is not really that many players who come to the forum. Its less than 5% of active players. Its not a make or break here. Infact, for most of us, this is where we come when we are bored on the internet for the most part.
IMO, the #s the have dropped due to a couple squads playing way too damn much in their easy fighters and running off players because it's not fun for them anymore after flying for 10 minutes and dying over and over again after wasting their time getting alt. At the end of the day, these people are asking themselves, I'm wasting too much time flying around only to get killed quickly and that's hard for many players who are use to air spawning or quick action. The average is 6 kills per hour or so.. for many that is just too slow, especially when they are dying most of the time.