The problem as I see it is the hundreds of high prestige players ruined this game by driving off the thousands of newbies. I had 2 lvl 10 cities and lost them memorial day weekend, I was gone all weekend and didn't log in, there was no defense at the time and one of the aggressive clans teamed attacked them and took them.

Without a way to protect your time investment this game fails for anyone who doesn't stay logged in constantly. This game cannot survive without the casual user and the high prestige players pretty much make that impossible. That's why I kinda have to laugh at the bellyaching that city defense actually works now and all the players who think this game is about nothing more than killing people half your strength are leaving, the fact is those are the players that need to leave.