None of this has to do with grinding.

Essentially you want a whole new set of "do X to get Y" - well, that will be tournaments and they are finally on the horizon.

However that would be the closest to grinding that we can see in this style of game. In most sports games, you can grind by playing more games. Our games are a finite amount.

Something like weekly/daily challenges which reward small PP and/or packs could be an alternative and would keep things interesting. Also, this could be similar to tournaments if implemented that way. We obviously don't know how tournaments will be setup.


Another thing to consider is how to fix the tanking issue. The point generation on a team about to be relegated is so far less than a team about to go the playoffs. Essentially, the rich get richer, the weak stay weak type of deal. The only way to remedy this currently is to be relegated and dominate at the level below your current one. This is not to say make point generation the same for a team that is 125-37 versus a 37-125 team, but to provide some boost through challenges or whatever for the lower team. What this allows is the weaker team additional PP to improve and compete at that level, rather then be relegated to compete.

This could be something like an end of season award for avoiding relegation for teams with below 60 wins, maybe a 750 PP reward, or something. The teams who are relegated don't get points though because they'll compete at the level below so they don't need it. Could also be something like have a pitcher with 10+ wins, or something.

Literally any number of options. The intent isn't to reward losing; but to help close the gap so that people can compete and continue to be interested. If people continue to be interested and know they aren't far from competing, they may be more interested in buying points to get them over the hump.

Very rough concept in my head. I was just trying to think of ways to remedy tanking since it is a common issue. It's always driven by point generation or the desire to compete.

People tank because they aren't having fun and there is no way to start having fun once you are stuck at a level not generating points but not bad enough to genuinely relegate (because other teams are tanking in the league). If you are F2P then you are the product and not a customer, but abandoned teams hurt everyone since it makes your season less fun and the auction house less active.

That's what needs to be fixed. It isn't an issue in any other similar game I can think of because they align incentives such that players want to do what the game wants them to do.

Oh well. Been discussed a thousand times, just gonna have to wait and see what happens next year.