I think that wars are a very important aspect of the game; one cannot have a game about the mafia with the prospect of death being a major issue; it'd be like a game about pirates without ships (or bit torrent, har har.) I don't think there's really any need to alter it the way it is, especially with adding in an option to just 'buy loads of credits.' They can do that as is.

Yep, always come back. I recently had a short break and wasn't planning to return at all, but here I am. Wars here are like a mini 'reset' in MMO's that have rounds. I think if you take the right perspective then a war can be a great opportunity for many reasons. I for one like to roleplay new characters so it's a great chance to write a new bio and start a new life.

Yes wars can have this happen, but what are you going to do combat the situation? You really can't do anything when one of the biggest features of the game is killing one another. The key is to keep getting new hit's and focus on your rate of those new players staying and playing, if you have this your member count will always stay about the same if not increase. But like others have said, those that understand the game and are dedicated always return. 

Whilst you lose people after a war, you continue to gain new people.

Those that are "hardcore" or even your standard player, will return. They do so because death is part of the game. Those that don't return are likely either taking a wee break, or didn't really enjoy/understand the game to begin with and have got a little pissy about dieing.

Wars come and go it has always been that way. While some may not like that aspect of the game others thrive on it.

People will come and go it has always been this way many will take a break after big accounts and concentrate on there lives outside of the game. Others may or may not retire completely but most will find there way back here sooner or later the one thing i enjoy most here is the community that izzy has created i have met many friends and enemies here and the place has given me much joy heart ache frustration over the years i have been here.

I have taken breaks or just held onto slacking accounts just to chat or help my friends with there goals. As many have said the "hardcore" element will always find there way back. as will most that understand the game if not to play just to be there to help there friends or chat

This place has that hold over those that love and understand the game that is Mafia Returns and for that Squishy we thank you.

After the may war -Telkin- i am pretty sure

While I think what you're saying has a little bit of merit, I do believe that you've approached at it from the wrong view point. Let me tell you why; I don't think the issue is retention after wars, like our resident jail bird -telkin- has said, many players have thousands of hours playing time and will have sat through a lot of wars during that tenure. My self included, currently on over 11k hours, im still here.

What war does effect on though is player engagement, What tends to happen is people who loose "big" accounts or have repeatedly lost accounts in a short space of time, will return and their productivity will decrease, which has a negative effect on their engagement with the game. I.E. they will make a new account, but it might sit semi- dormant.

One of the best thing to happen to the game in recent times is the shortening of character cycles. It has made the game appealing again to people like me, who've played for a long time, but simply don't have the spare capacity to compete with the younger guys who are able to devote 12+ hours every day to it. Where as before, it would have taken me years to directly influence things, now, in my head anyway, I can theoretically play a part in whatever I want. That's a great improvement and should appeal to a much broader market than something that requires more effort to succeed than your job does. 

I also don't know the numbers (although Squishy tracks this stuff), but I would be surprised to find, over an extended period, there is a significant downturn in the amount of accounts registered. The game seems, on the whole, to have at least the same amount of users it has had for the last few years with the current number being 667 according to the stats page.

Sure, people are going to either leave for awhile or possibly never return at all after a war, but these type of things are fluid, with the number leaving likely being outweighed by those joining for the first time. As long as the balance is right, most people will return, at least in some capacity, for as long as they are able. 

I honestly feel like that 1% you bring up that you think "leaves MR" are those who have probably already "left MR" in some capacity before their death.

Not going to lie, and this is just my opinion, but you have be pretty tough mentally to play a game like this one. Not many games out there where you die and have to start from scratch, but that's also what attracts people to this place. People can say "oh, this is different". Anyone who signs back up to MR, after their first death, normally has a good grasp on how the game goes by that point. And that can take its toll on you, but that's part of the game and it's aspects. That 1% who didn't sign back up, yeah a few might take a break and others were probably inactives that weren't worried about coming back.

Chances are they'll come back at some point, sign up, and sit inactive again, because that's just what they like to do. Might not be 24 hours right after they died, but chances are it will happen. 

So there you have it, you guys are a tough crowd! Mainly because it takes a tough mentality to debate, care, argue your point, fight for hours, and then die to start over from scratch and do it again, this time starting from the very bottom to work your way up (for the most part and most people).