I can't see why vertical wouldn't be the way to go... If you want to go somewhere, why not UP?! Moving laterally is only going to do the same thing but in more minor movements and in all the same systems.

Honestly, this game isn't updated in the right way to make Vertical leaps well accepted. Truly, when the expansion came out, that was the best position for Vertical leaping. Everyone felt it and moved up to it. Not quickly but at a good pace. What destroyed this, and it's classic SE since ToAU, is the amount of content and forced leaping the player would have to do in order to obtain the gear for the higher content. They got this right in the Delve fights, as players started to gain the gear from the NMs, they started winning more fights. However, outside of delve, the balyd system with reives and WKRs, this system failed. No amount of growth was really needed for WKR. Better gear is always going to make a difference, but even Yum/Hurk didnt need delve gear to beat it. Just a mass of bodies thrown at them.

This game has had a growth issue since I cant remember in ToAU. It's only gotten worse since. WotG is a great example too. How long was it before we got an update? A year? Sounds about right.

But to might point, a game is meant to challenge you. If the devs challenge is to get the newest gear to make you feel stronger, then eat it up. Otherwise, you might want to look somewhere else. Cuz essentially, vertically or laterally, you'll be doing the same thing anyways, right? Unless you just want the gear to look pretty... go play IMVU haha.