Maybe we need a Cataclysm

[Iscah]

It absolutely can. You can build up cooler uses of FATE's central mechanics, allowing for -- for once -- a truly interesting or difficult FATE, and then trickle those interesting mechanics down across all prior FATEs. You don't 'Latest Ascian Boi X' to feature prominently in those FATEs for them to make use of the tech.

Similarly, you can develop, say, more interesting gearing or upgrade/augmentation systems as a central feature for a new raid tier, but still make use of parts of those concepts (lore in no way conflicted) across the game as a whole.

Yes, they can improve game mechanics in a way that that has no impact on the game's lore. That's the opposite of the OP's argument, which seems to be that it's somehow necessary to have a cataclysm calamity to achieve that effect.

If you want gameplay improvements, ask for gameplay improvements. Don't ask to restructure the game zones to achieve that objective, because they aren't linked.

The zones stay as they are because they are set pieces for the MSQ. Whether it's current, whether it's via NG+, those zones need to retain their physical forms so new and old players can share that space.