The obvious answer is that we're all really looking for that feeling of synergy between players-- for both alliances and enmities to feel alive. That means to attract players you have to have a critical mass of good players (authentic RP and PVP). But to get to that critical mass you have to attract players first. Its a Catch 22.
All of these specific reasons for leaving or not playing boil down to lack of camaraderie among players. To recruit and keep the right kind of players would take, IMHO, a lot of effort and careful cultivation of talent-- like scouts and trainers for Freelancer. It would also probably have to be a more exclusive community with a high bar to pass (bouncers), not the egalitarian free for all some think it should be.
In order to develop that core group a lot of listening would have to happen. Folks are obviously living out their heroic fantasies on this server and should be heard out, but there should be some Editors and decision makers who shape it into something actually good. Think of all the throw-away Star Wars novels of the past decades and then compare them with what Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have done, starting with the Mandalorian. A bunch of great directing talent has been recruited because they got serious about canon and making impactful characters and backstories that resonate like the original Star Wars characters did.
I think the Freelancer universe deserves the same thing.
