people don't understand this problem have been always the same, its because of whale people on this game, if whale people still using their credit cards to get gear fast with "Hongmoong Store and events for whales", materials and others wont be lowers, for example gems on hongmoonstore, i saw people whale with gilged gems with pentagonal gems in one day you know how much you has to spend to get just 1 pentagonal????, and that's one of the example. f2p people get punished by the costs either, whales don't care if materials cost more if they still paying, people f2p will farm for them and they just buy for the price on F5, they just need swipe to gear, that's why all its expensive, included new soul tier path. the problem with this it's when this industry look how many people will play this game later, will be only people who spend $$$$$$ like crazy, i mean everyone do what they want with their money, don't care, at last everyone in the game people will knows each other because will be that few people, and for the new ones who want to reach them have to pay or play 24/7 all days, like its literally impossible, and that's why people quit.