I have been playing DU for hundreds and hundreds of hours.
Why?
Mostly because of the people I played it with.
DU itself does not give me a big enough reason to play it.
I have one suggestion to the Developers ... before they try to implement more player based content that uses the exact same boring mechanics that already make the game an insane grind without actual reward. Don‘t implement more of that.
There is currently one very simple yet really successful game ... Valheim ... it does not have the insane scale of DU. It does not have great graphics. It does not have any kind of in game economy.
But there is one thing it has ... progression in PvE and a feeling of accomplishment.
Yes, PvE. And an environment that gets more challenging the further you venture away from your starting point (to put it in simple terms).
DU is boring, because it is not challenging. There is nothing dangerous out there except Borg Cube PvP gankers and your own stupidity when flying.
Everything else is grinding. Get more ressources, sell more stuff on the market, to be able to buy more stuff that helps you to grind even more.
Valheim has different biomes.
DU has different planets and moons.
Why is the DU universe dead? Introduce PvE combat, both in space as well as ON planets, against hostile fauna and NPC pirates, maurauders, NPC industry conglomerates, etc.
Have Sanctuary as a sanctuary. Dead moon, no PvE or PvP.
Make Alioth an easy PvE area near the districts. Make it more difficult in the further away areas.
Make planets more dangerous PvE areas the further they are away from Alioth. Also the space ... you venture away from Alioth ... you will be attacked by NPCs eventually.
Go even further away from Alioth and you can even be attacked by players (in addition to the even stronger NPCs).
Give us a feeling of accomplishment ... because building the 50th spaceship and the 100th base will get old very fast.