MSQ

[Vahlnir]

Source: me

If they had the resources to make stuff like fêtes or fellowships for patches, I'm sure they could figure out a way to make MSQ optional for a new expac.

I think what it boils down to is that they have things set up a certain way that would be difficult and time consuming to undo. With games like WoW, each expansion has its own story, more or less, though doing the story quests does help people understand what is going on a little bit better. But Blizzard set the game up in a way that skipping entire expansions is possible without taking away from the stories they are trying to tell. SE would probably have to do something similar in order to make things feel optional. I just don't see them ever wanting to put in the effort. The MSQ is quite a slog though, so I'm sure they are losing potential players who don't want to go through so many hoops to play with their friends, much less pay for a skip to make it happen. Personally, I like having the MSQ as a means of progression, but...I think it's a bit of an issue design wise, but whether it's a big enough issue or not for SE is only known to them. They've got the hard data. All we can do is speculate.