I find myself not particularly agreeing with Del here. I do however agree with MacIronhawk that Pirates has amazing potential, most of which remains untapped. However, I have my own thoughts.
As for graphics, you guys who say it's going downhill, what setting do you play on? I'm on an HD computer, with Open GL and high graphics. Speaking personally, I find the game beautiful. Since I got this computer I often find myself just sitting on my ship as the sun rises or sets, not doing a blessed thing but watching the sun play across the water. Yes, it's that beautiful.
(Borrowed from my Postcards from the Krewe, this is what I see in game.)
Yes, that's just the screenie of it. The water glitters in the light, it's rather amazing actually. And no, it's not just at sea. Characters, buildings, even the chickens on Cuba have more detail than I've ever seen before in game. So I don't know what's up with the graphics complaints, cause I love it.
I don't agree with Del about these updates though. I am of the firm opinion that after nearly three years, there should have been a second story chapter long before now. The POTCO machine has been doing about a million fillers, teasers, and little in game fluffs this last year, really all starting with the last years Muertos Quests. In reality, other than the release of potions, ship repair, and fishing, all of that should have been the progression of the story chapter. It should all have led to Raven's Cove and El Patron as the chapter boss battle. Instead, we get fluff again. And every new player who sets foot in the Caribbean since Constance Sorrow and John Moses left has no clue as to the history that brought us here.
Which, believe it or not brings me back around to the server issue. I'm actually not seeing people come back. Oh, they may drop in once, maybe twice. I'm seeing more people leave than come back. I'm seeing a reduction in play hours, myself included, for many of the people I've been playing with for the year I've been here. We're seeing guilds right here on the forums in slow and or rapid decline. The old guard is still leaving, and they are leaving in droves. The POTCO machine has been empty promises better left unsaid, massive letdowns, and unrealized potential for far too long now.
I'm with some the others, I think there has been a significant enough drop in play that some servers were removed due to disuse. However, I also think Igor makes a very good point. I think it's very possible the servers retired are the original servers no longer capable of keeping up with the higher end of what's coming out now. I think Disney is hiding this and using disuse as the only excuse for the removal, but I'm betting it's both.
Pardon the novelette here, I'm in author mode. But that's my two pieces of eight on the subject.