Anyone that plays in a new expansion knows that what gear you have when you start gets replaced in the first zone with higher item level quest gear.. so i don't think lack of gear has anything to do with new people returning for a new expansion. The lack of gear and levels keeps people from coming back in the middle of an expansion more than at the beginning. New expansions actually, in and of themselves, inspire a lot of players to return to try the new content.

I think the free 90s are just another creative way to boost revenue, not unlike RaF was, nothing more. I think it might nab a few old players, but I think they will get more money out of existing players wanting to boost alts or change mains. I know thats what i will do..boost some old toons to 90 that i might not have ever played again otherwise.