This is the typical MMO model. They'll lose a few people but will keep those they otherwise would have lost because they've conquered everything and for which there is No challenge left. WoW started out with a level cap of 50, it's now 100. If there's nothing to keep people playing, they'll go play something else.
User retention is tricky.
Yeah, I was going to say, I'm pretty sure Destiny takes all it's cues from WoW anyway. Whatever WoW does is probably the way Destiny is going to handle it. The guys like Luke Smith at the top of the design chain are all likely WoW players. (Side note, anybody else a real OG and know Luke Smith from the old 1up podcasts? Garnett Lee, John Davison, Luke Smith, Shane Bettenhausen, legendary lineup!)
I kinda figured this was the way it was going because I read a simple user comment on reddit a couple days ago something like "it's not uncommon for a MMO's to take the top tier weapons and toys and render them no longer the best with a new expansion" or something like that.
Like you say, it's a user retention thing. I can feel myself getting a bit bored with the game, why? Because there's literally nothing to get. When I run the raid now I dont get that breathless feeling at drops because I have all 30's, all raid gear etc. Of course I want Fatebringer and Corrective Measure still, but it's not the same. So, they will want to create new challenges.
Anyway we'll see how it goes before I rush to judgement.
It does feel weird this week with the DLC so close, kind of hard to desire progress.
Still, the game is really fun anyway for me, imo. I still love raiding even though the loot thrill is decreased a lot as I mentioned. Why? Because the raid in itself is fun!
Edit: Here's a video about whats known about DLC progression so far. Doesn't sound bad to me, EXCEPT maybe I'm not sure I like that weapon upgrade progress will supposedly be reset. OTOH, just giving each exotic a new upgrade would have been awfully easy...
Probably the bad part for me is this only applies to exotics. so, will current legendaries be useless?? In general imo legendaries are better than exotics as is due to their loadout flexibility. Vision Of Confluence is imo right up there with Ice Breaker and Gjallahorn. Heck there's only two indispensable exotics imo, which are those two.
One other weapon I realized I really need/want, a VOID light beware! That'd be awesome. Although VoG will be old news soon anyway though.
I hope and assume they plan to keep VoG relevant going forward, at the very least for players progressing below 30, if not everybody.