So why has the active playerbase been constantly increased?
Well, when you're the only game in town.. ;)
Really though, the actual playing experience now is virtually no different than it was 8-9 months ago. All the slight changes in item stats, gold earning, upkeep, retirement.. in the end, these just make a minor impact on on how one would spec and equip a character. The game was fine enough back then. It's fine enough now... though fundamentally no different aside from DTV, whenever that is consistently working.
People still whine about archers, or spammers, or tincans, or cavalry, so on, being OP.. and not because the charge is actually true, but merely because they are whiners. People will never be satisfied no matter what you change, because most just want their own build to be stronger and the others weaker. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time tweaking any of it.
I just hope the return of Strategus isn't trolling, though