Where other games use events like this as an incidental way to engage with the game world, SE thinks it's a good idea to tie it into quest progression. MMOs thrive off time-wasters, sure, but nothing rubs that in like waiting 45 minutes for a FATE to spawn, unable to move or do anything in case it spawns and you miss it.

It was dumb the first time they pulled it, and it's still dumb now.