Can you direct me to some of the research? I'm interested.
yes every PVP "only" MMORPG is now closed due to lack of players playing, or are people still playing them with the servers down and the company not supporting them? Very possible I missed one.. i just know the 3-4 PvP ONLY ones i have played are closed (as I do play PvP) That is unless you count EVE, yet another of the reward time sink, not player ability games.
again i have nothing against it.. I did my time in UO, EQ (when they actually did race war servers), ground out my knight commander in WoW in the very early days of PvP.. Lead my clan in DaOC RP etc.. Did my time In Shadowbane (again i say best attempt at true PvP game, that one had some good ideas) I wont lie.. I maybe got a little distaste in WoW back in the old days Turran mill and 80s sitting at flight paths.. (either side) and OU about atwo years in when the PC police got sick of doing it and all left the game ...
its simple human nature.. we need rules, reasons to not act like asshats even in games (or elsewhere)