Marvel Strike Force lost 100,000 players when they introduced their version of Relic Delta. Furthermore death isn't typically instantaneous but rather a progression. The game has been in decline for years and there's a multitude of grave issues around this which is crashing community morale and pushing players away. For a game struggling to attract new players this doesn't bode well and will likely accelerate the downward trend unless addressed in a real and meaningful way.
The sharp change in monetization strikes me as a move of desperation by CG and that doesn't bode well.