In D1, you could achieve max light through the Iron Banner, as a solo player. The IB armor didn't have raid perks, but it made you strong enough to take on end game content. In D1, you could actually complete the Nightfall as a solo player and get good rewards. There was never a reason not to have matchmaking in the NF. It is just a strike with modifiers and increased difficulty. Proof of that is the fact that back in the day, there was an activity called the Weekly Heroic Strike. It's where you got your strange coins for Xur. Some weeks it was harder than the NF, and it had matchmaking. Then Bungie implemented the timer to further punish solo players. Bungie forces players to engage other players, not because that is how they designed the game, but because they believe that if you form relationships in the game, you are more likely to keep playing, even when the game is a steaming pile of sh*t.