The Dunbar number is a function of simple human mental capacity for interpersonal relationships. The belief is that the average human is capable of maintaining social relationships with a maximum of about 250 people. The approximate max size of prehistoric hunter/gatherer tribes. When the number in a tribe exceeds the Dunbar number people in the group share tribal identity without necessary social cohesion to facilitate trust. The instinct is to mistrust that which is not known. When the D# is exceeded that's no longer possible and unity is threatened.
Tribal identity is enough to sustain unity even in the face of ideological strife so long as interpersonal relationships are manageable. Interpersonal relationships will begin to become unmanageable when the tribe becomes to large and unity within the group begins to break down. This is why communes work but large scale communism fails (one of many reasons). In group trust has a natural membership cap.
Tribes only began to expand and remain stable with new tech developments like the discovery of agriculture and formal rule sets for behavior (laws). At this point in a communities growth and going forward ideology rudimentary or otherwise becomes a unifying element in the community.
CG had these unifying elements well before there was a community at all. "Let's not turn Spider-Man into a chick to advance a woke agenda" was one. Creators treating fans/potential customers like they weren't Hitler was another. People naturally gathered on line around those principles and Dunbar's number was exceeded almost immediately. But that didn't matter because the majority of the people identifying as CG weren't interacting. The number who were was small and the relationships were manageable among active members. Problems started when carpet baggers began to join and when numbers of interactive community members exploded. (StarWars videos)
Half the people coming in didn't give a fuck about comics. They came for the StarWars content or the cult of personality. Some came for the bloodsports and everything else was window dressing.
Still, the relationships could have been handled if there was a unifying factor everyone agreed on. Unfortunately there were two and they came into conflict. One unifier was Ethan's cult of personality which has been a sight to behold. The other which proved less potent was the principles of fair treatment and so on. Personality won out and because Dunbar's number was well exceeded there was no chance of unity even with the common enemy of Renfamous.
After the split/s the number was still exceeded and former tribe mates who were vocal became the enemy somewhat replacing Renfamous.
Then the superfan/ secret police became the enemy. When WarCampaign split off they returned to the principles if only as talking points and Ethan loyalists accused them of sounding like ex-CG. Of course they did sound like ex-CG. Without the incestuous connection to their Caesar there was no reason to deny his hypocrisy anymore. In fact, quite the opposite.
It will fracture again. Tribes find unity around ideas way easier than around people when larger numbers are in play.
The group is destined to atomize further and further. I would speculate that the addition of the new overly talented outsiders will be the eventual catalyst for the next split. Less talented loyalists will get less attention and the Johnny-come-latelies will be blamed by the jealous. IGG numbers will reflect the promotion and talent level but loyalists who've been there for years will feel slighted and jealous focusing on the lack of promotion for them.
Should be fun to watch.
My fucking sides! 
