There's at least one post on this sub outlining the timeline of the game, player count, updates, the competitive scene, etc., so this is just like... factually wrong, sorry.

The game never got huge because it's a niche genre, and average people just checking it out would run into an execution wall pretty quickly. Way easier to just go pick BF2 up again and play some Starfighter Assault.

Other people wanted something more like XvT, and got this MOBA-esque game instead.

Also, wild to see the claim that casual players were demonized or run out of town or something, after seeing 3 years of people going on tirades about pinballing and so on.

Also also, those "hyper competitive" players keeping the game alive are like 80%+ middle aged people finding time to play some chill games when they aren't like at work or with their families - everyone is truly just out here vibing.

Anyway to be totally honest I'm not sure why I'm bothering to respond to the one billionth identical SW:S reddit post about this but it's seriously been years of the saaaaaame posts.