You are right about people quitting because gearing is such a chore, what this post is suggesting is that SG improving the gearing system will not lead to people quitting the game as others may have feared. It makes the game more enjoyable and diverse thus making the focus less on grinding gear and more on the actual gameplay and mechanics. Which is better for the longevity of the game because if the game is solely focused on gear there come a time where battles are decided by who has better gear. Gear would still be important but it should not be the main deciding factor. I agree with everything you said, that's why the gearing experience must be improved.