They definitely need to and probably do take responsibility for the results of their decisions but you are belying the point I think.
Here I think the smart business thing-
#1 not mess with macros that are not having issue with their size or structure
#2 Eliminate the micros that are a problem and don't work
#3 Try to retain customers impacted by this-micros as much as possible but
#4 Focus on the parts of the model that work and are cost effective.
Making huge expensive risky moves to solve a few angry voices is madness. I want big changes, I think its a great idea etc. but its probably not practical.
Unless then have some capital to invest in advertising to this brave new real world- drastic changes don't make sense.
It's like shaking a fragile piece of art as if it were a snow globe. Wrong solution to wrong problem. At least that is how I see it. Steady, subtle and smart. Radical doesn't work if you don't have any money or resources to even begin to be radical with.
#1 not yet. but if some kind of change only happens in 1 or 2 calendar years, some of them might be in trouble
#2, 3, 4 absolutely
I think the owners need to take a huge risk and leapfrog other availiable games out there. As far as I know one of the main guys is part of a private equity company and there are many other ways to get the money to invest in necessary changes. Utopia was/is a HUGE chunk of money - where did it end up? Server and maintenance bills? I don't know...
Größter Knecht aller Zeiten aka His Excellency aka President for Life aka Field Marshal Al Hadji aka Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas aka aka Conqueror of the Buzzerbeater Empire in Europe in General and Austria in Particular