Adding risk to the game?

[Eldevern]

...

It's more or less that.

The thing it is easier to make solo games with a step-by-step increasing level of difficulty. For a MMO especially RPG, many people aren't running them for challenge, even less competition, but for the RP and the story.

One factor to consider is the reward. A recent study about Fornite explains that players are expecting some kind of reward. Punishing contents with pure loss are not interesting because they appears like a waste of time.

[SturmChurro]

One factor to consider is the reward. A recent study about Fornite explains that players are expecting some kind of reward. Punishing contents with pure loss are not interesting because they appears like a waste of time.

Naturally the reward(s) are a giant motivator for the general community. Most people will not want to do something challenging - or easy - if it doesn't give them something in return for their time/effort. People have complained about this in WoW as well (specifically rewards) and the players of that game seem to enjoy content that rewards them well.

Unfortunately, developers nowadays are choosing to add more desirable items to cash shops. While leaving the base game having few desirable rewards/items for the time they put in, and psychologically using the players who have purchased items via the cash shop to try and get more players to purchase items via cash shop. Make no mistake, cosmetic microtransactions* are also harmful to a game, just as pay to win is - just a different beast.

In the context of this game, while it has a cash shop with a large amount of items, I think there are just enough rewards in the base game to justify doing content to collect. However, to me there seems to be less now. I am eagerly awaiting what they plan to do about artifacts this time around. I am hoping something on the level of eureka rewards, but more enjoyable to actually play - I would also like a punishing aspect like eureka, maybe even just a refined, overhauled eureka personally.