The journey is delayed gratification, which butts heads in a society where a lot of things are instant gratification. The delayed gratification of getting that item/killing that target is lost in these weeks, as its now a path of instant gratification.
The internal reward I would argue is much greater when there is a journey attached to getting where you want. This is why we see the vast majority of video game have this element too it. Whether it being completed challenges or accomplishments to unlock weapons in Call of Duty, or whether it be mining or gathering resources to reach your goal in Minecraft, or any game where there are levels and bosses. There is a internal reward piece to this which really keeps people playing. It's a lot of fun this way too. Now you can use a hack to unlock all the weapons in Call of Duty, or play on a different mode in Minecraft, or skip to the final bosses levels that skips this journey. Is it fun this way? Sure a lot of people enjoy this, but I would argue the vast majority enjoy the other way better because there is a greater internal reward. Are the feelings the same in which one has to put a lot of time, effort, overcome obstacles, and compete to achieve that item they are after in Everquest, vs the opposite? I would argue for a lot and dare say the majority it is not.
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