As a moderator with a primary interest in book discussions, I have a rather different slant on this question. I watched the start of WW games with curiosity, even joined one to try it out, and found it to be extremely time-consuming. With that in mind, I watched with concern as the Books and other forums became neglected because the WW games involved so many members who suddenly had less time for posting there. I know not all members who play WW were active elsewhere, some even joined just to play, but a lot of previously excellent posters were too busy for discussion threads. So, if WW games slow down, perhaps there will be more of those again?
That said, real life is definitely a concern for many of us, whether we concentrate on discussion, mirth, RPing, or WW. Like numerous others, I find myself busier elsewhere now than I was back when I first joined and spent hours reading and writing posts. Change is a major Tolkien theme, so why are we surprised when it involves us Tolkien fans?!
