Not only could you play the game competitively without ever touching the PvE aspect, but gear was never an issue (it capped out and never got better), class imbalances were non-existent (if you wanted to play another class you just create another PvP character and less than a day later all your skills/gear is unlocked).

But — when you say WoW needs to pick a side and stick with it, the same was exactly GW’s long-term downfall. Lack of tangible PvE progression made casuals dis-interested and even many HCs. And empty worlds are fun for no one.

I think e-sport players should be able to adapt to class changes. It shows intelligence and flexibility to be able to come up with the new strategies required for the next patch.

If sponsored players, who are supposed to be the best of the best, can’t keep up with the times, they should fall by the wayside (Hafu).

Of course some of the more drastic changes can be a little over the top (Warlocks at the beginning of S5, Druids in S5, Hunters in S6, etc). For the most part though, you should be expected to stay competitive regardless of what happens to the game (no one said you can only play one class, especially the best of the best).

They talked about it on one of the older shows, but I don’t remember any specifics.