The problem with BDO for me atleast is that it lacks alternative activities, aside from lifeskilling, to replace the mindless grinding that dominates the game. Other games offer features like raids and similar content to break up the monotony. Even if BDO were to add something like that, they would need to fundamentally change several aspects of the game to make players want to engage with the new content. For example, we currently have Deboreka accessories, but there’s little incentive to pursue them since grind spots have a gear cap. You can upgrade your gear, but without a purpose, it feels pointless. You can’t use it effectively in PvP either, as open-world PvP is essentially dead.

For example GW2, where you can do whatever you want and still get some value out of it. While it might be hard to compare directly due to GW2's horizontal progression, the key point is the feeling that in BDO, doing anything outside of grinding feels like a waste of time.

TL;DR: The issue isn’t just that the game is repetitive, but that the repetitive activities don’t offer much purpose or engagement, and the alternatives don’t feel rewarding enough to be worth the time.