running the game into the ground? you make it sound like this is Warhammer or Age of Conan.

With Siege or Mirkwood many people came back to the game to take advantage of the multi-month deals or lifetime signups.

the developers are still looking at ways to improve the fundamental aspects of the game as time goes on. Nothing is broken or pointless, the community is great and so is the majority of the playerbase.

The story and lore factors into every aspect of the game well and isn't tacked on.

They are even going to improve the pace of combat with SoM and that is pretty much the only thing that was a consistent complaint from MMO players.

Personally I like the pacing as it is because it was easy to solo/explore or farm materials at the speed I wanted to and not feel like I was missing out by taking my time. On the contary, I enjoyed being able to sit and grind levels if I wanted or just explore.

I used to play FinalFanasy XI, and many many people left at the time WoW came out because of much of a time sink getting stuff done was in FFXI, that was years ago and that game was designed and optimized for the Playstation 2 but people still play and server populations are pretty good for a MMO. I don't see how you think the game is going away Age of Conan and Warhammer had much more hype around them and just keep shrinking versus Lotro playerbase.

I really just don't see why you would say they need to fade away and die as if the are languishing a slow death. Even Aion or Champions will probably implode before Lotro in the wake of SWtoR and future AAA titles in terms of a fast shrinking playerbase but neither them or Lotro as going away soon because they all have a captive playerbase that will pay each and every month.