If you only pvp there is literally nothing to do when you log on outside of the worst solo que to ever exist. This doesn’t have anything to do with balance, lack of rewards, or lack of new builds/skills/ect.
Solo que - Great, que up right when you log on right? Nope.
- Conquest is the worst possible mode for solo que because not only does it amplify the selfish nature of conquest due to uncoordinated splitting but you rely on FOUR whole other people to have game sense. Just having 1 person afk part of the game, or being generally clueless / keyboard turner makes it a blow out game.
- Standard features make those issues I listed above have no filtering. There is no ready up, there is no alert system, the matchmaking throws rank 50 people together with unranked players – but what can you do? It’s already 10-15 minute ques for those high ranked.
Team que - ESPORTS RIGHT? who cares about fun?
- Great, another 5v5 format for the only two modes in the game. Yeah, let me log on and spend an hour gathering up 4 other people who are competent, have a good class spread, can get on team speak, don’t have to leave after 2-3 games, don’t have at least SOMEONE go afk between every game, developing synergy with these 4 people… and expecting them to be on at least a few times a week to play.
Even if that were an enjoyable thing to do, that still only means you get to play a few times a week and can’t just have fun within 15 minutes of logging on. Oh just get a huge friends list of decent people and start spam inviting?
“okay who wants to play mid bunk.. nobody.. okay”
" who wants to play side point… nobody… alright"
" what kind of team synergy are we going for? nobody cares? k"
" wait we have no poison on our team, oh alright lets just stomp bad team for a few games"
it’s just not worth it. 5v5 format, between good friends, is something that you can coordinate once – twice a week. Usually you meet those people playing OTHER FORMATS to develop your synergy with them.
hot join - completely pointless
- there is literally no point to this mode. It is not even a good medium to test new builds. It does not encourage even winning because it will swap you almost every game. There is no incentive to do anything outside of zerg with a group mashing your buttons. I honestly can not see an ounce of fun for even 2 minutes playing hot join, even with my friends.
custom arena = so close but so far
- There are too few options for custom arenas. Sure, people can set up private tournaments now. There are also a few dueling servers because anet can’t even make one public duel server themselves. It’s sad that even the duel servers wouldn’t work without monitoring. You don’t have enough power to create any meaningful different game modes or even alter the current conquest in any meaningful way. The best you can do is get 10-16 people all on team speak, in different channels, explain to them some honor system based obscure rules.. and hope after 2 hours of organizing you can test it ONCE before someone has to go.
Most people I know spend 98% of their time online chatting in duel servers. There is literally nothing to do. Even if you DO try to be competitive in the current formats through great pain – there’s still no way of anyone caring or noticing unless they go search through the leader boards for your name.
Peace