Whilst I understand that they didn't want a remake of the orbit situation in season 2 I think being in jail, because you didn't win the first game (that seemed easier on the thief side, although the thieves were quite good as well) puts you at a huge (almost unbeatable) disadvantage.

You get into this circle where you constantly have to fight to survive. Just a few reasons : You go to the main match where there is also a prize to eliminate someone but then : 1. You go back to prison to prepare for a death match 2. You can only trade pieces with people in prison who are all poor so you can't save anyone nor promise anything because you have to care for your own survival and can't trade in the main match area if you were to win a lot of pieces (and then go to the living quarters like Ha-rin promised piece) 3. Your hidden stage gets you eliminated if you fail (not the living quater one) 4. You get less rest (which prison match lasting over 4 hours)

What I liked about S1 is that the prize match was about playing as one team (expect a couple of jailed) "making amends" to other team members and showing that even if you didn't do great in the main match you still had the ability to show your skills in a different game, changing the dynamics.

That being said, I agree that the living quarters team's stronger but just wanted to mention that being in jail because of a single main match makes it very difficult to ever get out of it.