New player logs in, starts with almost nothing. If they are lucky someone might flick them a few million credits to get started (or are those days gone now? I don't know)
Realises that the game is a credit grind, or will be at least for the first few hours. Ok, some people will handle that.
Realises that players keep mentioning rules, better spend some time checking that out.
Realises that when they lose an encounter they also lose 2 hours of play time, unless they agree to make the rich richer (piracy).
Realises that the game basically entails paying people to be left alone so they can play in peace alone to try and make those credits. More hours. Eventually buys "cool" ship.
Realises that the equipment that they want is hugely expensive. More credit grind hours. Player still hasn't had fun or tasted any form of victory yet.
Meanwhile rich players are the ones having all the fun with thier cloak piracy etc. Disco population stagnates, and also has the look of a pyramid scheme. There is a problem here, even if people refuse to see it.