I cant really comment because i quit for like 10 years before coming back recently, but i cant believe the game has collapsed this far, it was regularly 500-700 people playing when i left, crazy that when i join now sometimes Bish have ZERO players. Pretty much ALL the names currently playing were playing 10-20 years ago. Almost none are new. This is a BIG problem. Its both the company and the players that need to up their game.
When i first started, i got murdered loads of times by a old squad called VMF323. They got me to change countries, and fly with them to learn how to play. Very welcoming. These days most people just murder the newbies until they ALT F4, never to come back, we are all a bit guilty of that.
i fear its too late though. Shame.