1. Rule Changes over the last year, the PB rules have changed an ungodly amount of times, between allowing things, forbidding things, requiring things, ditching required things, it just doesnt make people want to play when the rules are going to change every few months.
2. Shit maps, I know PB now has a maplist of like 5 popular maps, but we went through a good 3-4 months of a server packed with shitty maps.
3. Admins. Sorry, but a lot of the admins I see on PB are complete tools, who only enforce the rules when it is effecting them. Sadly lack of admins is another point, with admins logging on for what 3 or 4 rounds, then leaving, the server gets filled with people who are enforcing rules with bullshit I never even thought possible. Seriously, if you ever manage to get a population into pb again, you need a new team of admins for it.
4. Jihad Mod. Where the fuck is it?
5. Jihad Mod again seriously was one of those things that could get a team of cowards to actually grow the testicular fortitude to rebel.
6. Player Base. Ill say this, yes a shitty one is better than none, but in the months leading to PBs death the player base of pb was full of trolls and griefers. Nothing more than kids living out power fantasy's online.... which seems to be a large trend on the internet but w.e
7. CSS. Yes, CSS is in its death throws, and the first things to go are the "cult" style minigames that have become full on mods. ZombieMod, Prison Break, Death Run, GunGame, all are slowly dwindling in player base and it is unlikely that anyone of them is going to magically make a comeback. The only truely popular servers I see in CSS anymore are DeathMatch, Minigames and Surf. Surf is fading slower than its friends but still fading. CSS is a thing of the past.