Originally Posted by
Maleficent
I think in a game it's essentially about having fun.
Gear, like many things, has a limited time before it's replaced by something better. New eventually becomes Old. Relevant becomes less so. The cycles are shorter (than WoW?) because the vertical content patches are more frequent.
I can relate that there may be some fatigue if one is competitive and vests heavily in always being in the lead pack. The status symbols last but 3 - 6 months.
Perhaps a way to look at it is: one can't take anything from an MMO other than the memories and sense of achievements (and screenshots. I take many now).
It might be worth divesting some stock on the symbols. Because an MMO should be more about having fun with others and the experiences we share, shouldn't it? (^_^)