This game has had it's issues over the years, mainly around balance, a steadily declining player base and a developer who was more focused on their more recent game (MechWarrior 5).
Then back in April 2021 things started to change, Daeron Katz was hired as community manager and he had the stroke of genius of finally listening to the communities offers of help to balance the game and give it the time and love it deserved.
They pretty much gave the inmates the key to the prison and the Cauldron (the group of players who were now ruling the roost) have been making great changes ever since, many, many balance changes to mechs and maps, regular community events where players can easily get free mechs and other goodies and have generally been a massive breath of fresh air for the game.
By the way all of the 'pay to win' comments are just plain wrong, everything in game can be earned just by playing the game (even hero mechs as the events regularly reward MC), and with all the regular events it can now be done so without too much grind.