A game development company is just like any business.
There are risks you have to weigh, and chances you have to take, ESPECIALLY going out and becoming a new independant developer.
Sometimes one tiny oversight early on can cost you everything, and there is nothing you can do about it.
We can all speculate till we bleed from our ears, but none of us TRULY know what went on or what is going on.
But as mentioned earlier, I can assure you that this result was not the goal of the company.
And flagship pulled the plugs on the forum because forums cost money, of which they have none.
If they were really the evil people that the bitter fans are painting them to be, the remaining guys wouldn't have pulled from their own pocket to pay the severances of the last employees to go.
Legally, they didn't have to do that. When a company dives under like that, what they are responsible for paying out is changed.
The bottom line: Unfortunately a fantastic game looks like it is taking it's last breath. Hopefully someone picks it up or reignites FSS.