A small increase in numbers I don't find surprising. The marketing for MOP was absolutely awful
and unsurprisingly subs shrank.
The actual game was pretty good, Blizzard did all the stuff they do brilliant, scenery, music
, lore etc and made some technological upgrades. Once people understandably nauseated by the
idea of anthropomorphic pandas and pet battles had left, subscribers would hold steady.
SOO is a fairly good end to the expansion. Not as good as WOTLK but better than cata.