Mafia: general discussions.

Or, simply put, most people were online during that time period, and the setting seemed interesting to them. But this is by no means an axiom. A couple of in-game days after such a surge in activity, the engagement can easily drop.

Activity can decrease in exactly the same way, even when there's been a significant break between games, why not? The activity of a specific player is largely determined by their interest in the setting and the events in the game.

Slow registration reduces interest in the game, both on the part of the GM and the players. At the very least, someone might "burn out."

In that case, the players really want to play, and the GM wants to run the game, so why would a small time delay discourage them from playing or running the game?