Yes. I think the ability to earn Steem was the huge factor people were playing it.  

I worked in game design concept art for a while, while the drug wars game is interesting, lacks a strong element of fun or replayability. It's a grind just to increase base statistics, and the value of future coins to steam is not equal. Before I was earning 0.05 STEEM per day and the highest, now I am earning 2 future per day, the Cash Out is a minimum of 50... So not getting a motivational reward to play every day.

And also as mentioned, the heart of it is just not a engaging fun game. Very little exploration, very little input, is just a daily grind.  :/

That being said I do login every day or so to check how things are going, upgrade a few things, deposit drugs  into the heist, and sort of think I'm going to keep stockpiling until the price of future... If it ever does.. move up, cash out.