You forget that CyberNations is a Nation simulation game.
You are free of not wishing to pay money for CN like it WAS (I don't think I am wishing it now, not with the warlike turning they did last summer), but a lot of people did. The proof is that it has continue to exist, and the game has been financially maintained and continued thanks to the people who paid monthly donations. Just remeber, there is no publicity, like in facebook, where gratuity is paid by advertisements.
Actually, I see these monthly donations as perfect parts of the real functioning world. Some countries which have higher financial means give loans to other who don't, in exchange for commercial, political or military facilities. It is "tech deal" on the highest possible rank.
The question is that, if they start to loose paying players, they will have to look for the interests of these paying players. The huge majority of these paying players are people over teen or college years, with real busy lives and jobs, expecting to build up a nation through economic, diplomatic and financial means, and go on with them through a long history, without an intense and continuos dealing of wars, tech raids and other nonsense. A huge majority of them are not raiders or rogues, like a huge majority of nations in the real world are not raiders or rogues. Of course, we don't have the figures, but Planet Realm must have them, because any firm managed by elementary clever people know their customers and how they react. If the present situation go on, I assure you that it will come a huge change. Market laws will impose it on Planet Realm and on the rogue teenage-like players. Of course, the alternative would be the end of CyberNations. It can't be sustained.
Oh, and by the way, since several months ago, the donations may be sent up to 30 USD -not just 25, as before-, of course obtaining higher benefits for the player... and for the game firm. A lot of people have been therefore paying 30 USD a month, you see? Tell Planet Realm they are going to loose most of them.