I imagine that it'll be quite a few patches before people can log in and stay logged in, in any real numbers. We've got to be patient, as although it is essentially just a mod for Ark in many ways, the complexities associated with the map/server node setup is all new.
I do think that Ark owners should have been given an extra 5 Euro off this game though, as we've already paid for Ark to be created/finished. I don't really care as long as this gets going but..