Pretty much. AoD is a very niche game and it will never be a strong seller (even for non-mainstream RPGs). Look at Kenshi, for example: 1400+ reviews vs our 205.
My guess is that the main repellent is not its difficulty, since challenging games such as Dark Souls and Neo Scavenger have been well received. The problem lies in its complexity. Most games are child’s play in comparison with AoD and most players are lazy. But you never know what will happen. I bet you did not expect to achieve more than 12 thousand sales in early access. We will see.
I often wonder why AoD doesn't appeal to more people (as a fan for these types of games, not as a developer), since compared to other games, it is not
that different, especially once you break it down to its specific qualities.
Turn-based
Used to be a bad word to most people, but with the resurgence of RPG's, it has become more popular. Even though a majority of players may prefer real-time (or rtwp for some reason), I can't see turn-based being a turn off for players anymore. If the new XCOM can be a success, it tells me that turn-based is not that big of a deterrent to players.
Text Heavy
Pretty much removes the Minecraft kids from buying AoD, but adults are still a majority of the gaming market. I've seen plenty of popular text heavy genres (RPG, JRPG, Strategy, MMO, Adventure, etc.) Based on a general feeling, I think I read just as much when playing a game like Civilization as I do in AoD. Again, it's hard to tell, but I enjoy reading, so maybe my scales are off. That Civilopedia sure has a lot of text, right?
Difficult
Again many games are just as difficult as AoD, especially with the new survival genre that emerged, people are more eager to die in games than ever. Dark Souls, Spelunky, The Binding of Issac, Neo Scavenger, etc. If players hate dying so much, these games wouldn't even exist.
Roman-Themed
I can imagine many people may be turned off thinking that AoD might be some boring historical-based game, but there are enough people out there that enjoy (or tolerate) the Roman themed setting to some degree, considering the popularity of games like Rome: Total War and Ryse: Son of Rome. I'm not saying that people like these games because of the Roman setting, but that they aren't turned off by it.
Complex
This one is subjective, since AoD doesn't come across as complex to me, especially when you compare it to the likes of Dwarf Fortress or Crusader Kings 2, which are both very popular and are known to be very difficult for beginners. For example, when I watch videos of people playing Path of Exile, I barely know what the hell is going on half the time. Some item stats are like paragraphs (not the lore bits, the actual stats). AoD is like "babies first RPG" in comparison.
So each of these aspects have exceptions (but maybe adding them all up into one game is the problem). Regardless, AoD is like my dream game. Turn-based, challenging, developed world, factions, choices and consequences, etc. As a player I'm already in heaven, and as a developer, I'd love to continue making these types of games. Like VD said earlier in this thread, "RPGs (and video games in general) can do what books and movies can't, yet more often than not game developers are trying to mimic movies. For me it's a new medium with barely explored (and often barely understood) dimensions. At the very least, that's what I want to explore."