The game has been going for quite some time, it's makes sense to me that there are more new players coming around and it feels is flooded of noobs, i don't know the average population for every version of AC, but i assume as in everything, time pass and some people leaves and new blood comes in. Not everyone plans to keep in touch over a game for so long, more in the competitive side if there's no revenue from it, i know some just enjoy competition for the sake of it, but to religiously coming back they gotta be really attached to the community and the game itself.
I don't know of a perfect formula for hooking a bunch of players in, you shouldn't over think about it, though. There are many factors that match up to make a game good, and you need to be lucky to success and get that people attention at first attempt. if this game was doing good at start and kept some great players (i won't call them elite sorry) for many years, there's no need to go for big changes.
Lets add to the last, if the whole purpose is getting more people you don't really have to do an overhaul to the game, if the weapon balance and few additions as the helmet and a more complex kevlar and the AR pumped up and the cool down on SMG and Sniper made the difference just focus your attention on that, there's no need to please the old players or new ones as a trade for success, if there's room for most weapons to be as good and balanced as possible to give everyone a chance and to not feel they need to stick to a single one only cause its the safest, then it will feel less monotone to play and it will be a better ground to see what can be done after.
Last, whatever is driving people to AC and needs to be done to empathize that, i just hope makes people forget about how good it was back then, is getting old and personally it bothers me to see it.
I don't know of a perfect formula for hooking a bunch of players in, you shouldn't over think about it, though. There are many factors that match up to make a game good, and you need to be lucky to success and get that people attention at first attempt. if this game was doing good at start and kept some great players (i won't call them elite sorry) for many years, there's no need to go for big changes.
Lets add to the last, if the whole purpose is getting more people you don't really have to do an overhaul to the game, if the weapon balance and few additions as the helmet and a more complex kevlar and the AR pumped up and the cool down on SMG and Sniper made the difference just focus your attention on that, there's no need to please the old players or new ones as a trade for success, if there's room for most weapons to be as good and balanced as possible to give everyone a chance and to not feel they need to stick to a single one only cause its the safest, then it will feel less monotone to play and it will be a better ground to see what can be done after.
Last, whatever is driving people to AC and needs to be done to empathize that, i just hope makes people forget about how good it was back then, is getting old and personally it bothers me to see it.