Plain and simple: It's difficult to get excited about an expansion that you know absolutely nothing about other than the standard PR buzz.
In my eyes, EQ2 is old and tired. The direction of "keep it close to the chest and keep them guessing" mindset that is working for RIFT is NOT how you hold a project like EQ2 that's this developed and mature together. It's how you ruin it because you're falsely building expectations that there actually might be something new which we all know; won't be.
You hold a project like EQ2 together by utilizing and tapping into the loyalities of your member-base and bring them into the fold. Many of us have been playing this game for over 6 years and because of that, many of us feel like we own a piece of it. We've been through the good times and the bad times with the development team. We've seen Developers come and go, yet we are still here and for what it's worth, helped make this game what it is now.... Now we are kept in the dark, and no one can figure out why we're apathitic.
Honestly, if you expect us to be dazzled by flying mounts - you better prepare yourself for disappointment.
If you're expecting to suddenly spring "This is your NEW class role" on us which is different then what we're comfortable with for over 2 to 6 years and expect us to say "OOOH, this is much better!" Yeah...
I think it goes without saying, your community isn't fond of drastic changes they "felt" they had no control in. Which is EXACTLY what your setting yourself up for.
Now I realize you drafted some of the best players in the game to be part of the beta test. Normally there wouldn't have been a problem with that... "IF" your community knew that's what you were doing. Heck, we'd agree with it! However, we don't know that because you never told us... you only left us guessing, which always goes bad.