Why all the SOE run servers if Project 1999 is free to play?

[a_gnoll_pup]

I'm curious why this is? I could understand it if people don't want the full-on EQLive experience, but SOE's servers I see, all of them really give that. They seem more likely to give the "EQ + 23 expansions, but change this cause that's great, and oh, I loved that idea, so change that, etc. etc. etc."

So without this turning into a trollfest, I'm curious what people think the reasoning is? And why do we need SO MANY SOE-run servers?

Oh, and I get the "loyalty", new-school vibe. I do. I wish we could snap our fingers and make it go away.

And just in case people don't know who I am, I'm Secrets of EQEmulator. And I'm 100% seriously asking this question.