What makes an RPG good?

[kyoryu]

I agree. The quality of an RPG system is in no way dependent on how many people are playing it. A system that had lots of players, then no players for a time, and now has players again did not change in any objective sense.

Semi-agree.

Popular games have to be at least good at some things, or they wouldn't be popular.

Unpopular games could be unpopular for any number of reasons - they could target small niches. They could have bad advertising. They might just be bad.

It's completely erroneous to say "this game is more popular than that one, therefore it's better".