Is there anything meaningful/gratifying to do in this game that's not MSQ?

[MomomiMomi]

Trust me when I say that the endgame is not worth rushing towards. If you're not enjoying the game as it is right now, you are missing out on most of the game. Once you reach endgame you'll have a few fights you can repeat weekly for loot and that's it. And that loot will not last very long. As soon as the next challenging fight is released, you already begin the process of replacing it before you've even begun the next fight.

Enjoy the game as it is right now, where you are right now. Or don't. It's your choice to make. But you're missing out if you're just going to skip it to get to the end.

Also, the later areas are not going to be any more populated. Everyone is in instances, or at housing areas, starting cities, or at the "endgame" city where everyone just afks. You're not going to find people out in the open world. That's just how this game's open world is.