Where are all the new players stuck?

The past few days I have been logging in just to help people with missions. Mostly to reacclimate myself to endgame characters I haven't played in 10+ years.

Looks like a whole lot of folks in Pre-searing (I am finally just going to get LDOA). But after tutorial...it's easiest to find groups to help in Great Northern Wall pretty consistently. And those groups will stick together for Fort Ranik, but then generally break up to quest before doing Ruins of Surmia. Ruins of Surmia and Nolani, I haven't seen any LFG posts and very few stray players running around with hench.

The three Kryta mission towns are really empty when I've checked and I haven't seen anyone at all in Crystal Desert.

I know there are a lot of new folks, and everyone new I've played with was really enjoying the game so I don't think they are falling off that quick. But...where are they going? Are the ruins just eating people? They enter Surmia...but then never make it to Nolani.