It's a growing game where you will constantly changing your character over its entire life. Seems to be 10 years if that still holds true. They haven't taken away any gear, only added better gear! In fact that old gear is still just as valuable in crucible today as it was when it originally dropped. I view these games as playing to develop your character to attack the next challenge. If you character is already fully developed after he first raid and doesn't need to change gear ever again, do you this the game would last?