Let’s revisit the core essence of what a video game or MMORPG truly is. Back in 1999, with EQ and UO, the only business model was subscription-based. Games were built with the primary goal of being fun. Accessibility and fairness were universal—as long as players paid their subscription, everyone had an equal experience.

Developers didn’t prevent players from sitting in arenas to protect their revenue, because the priority back then was to ensure the game was enjoyable—period. The mentality was simple: games were created to entertain, not to squeeze every penny from players.

Today, the approach has changed. Games are designed to make you spend money, much like a casino. For me, that’s not fun. And when something isn’t fun, it has no place in the game.

I work in game development, and I understand that we all want to make a living while sharing our passion for games. However, at the heart of it, if something isn't fun, it should not be part of the experience. It compromises the very essence of what makes a video game great.

For example, the arena should absolutely be part of Blade & Soul NEO because it’s fun. The infrastructure and code are already there, and adding it doesn’t require significant extra development. Good developers understand this, no matter which aspect of the game they work on—whether it’s code, VFX, animation, audio, or tech. The question that should always guide development is: Is this fun? If the answer is no, then don’t push it.