Have two worlds of Haven running at the same time: one would be long lasting, the other a short lasting one.
Benefits
- The long lasting world would be similar to what we play right now. It could last indefinitely, similarly to Legacy, or have a lifespan closer to the last few worlds, lasting around a year or two (thoughts?). Gameplay wouldn't be affected, so anyone who enjoys the game as it is right now would play on this world and enjoy late game.
- The short lasting world would only last a few months. Approximate reset dates would be known in advance. Its target would be all those players who enjoy early game only, the same who usually quit current worlds after a few months or after a big setback (death/raid). Some players might use it as a test server, or maybe try to "speed run" through it to see how far they can get in a short time. More importantly, this world could be a great place for Devs to test their updates, especially bigger updates: anything that might have unwanted consequences, requires a reset, or might break the game.
Population
To those who fear this would split the player base, I don't think it will. Every time a reset happen we see a huge increase in active players; after just a couple of months, the numbers drop dramatically and keep dropping after a few more months. Those who remain longer have no reason to play a quick-resetting world. Those who quit early would have no reason to play on the long lasting one. The only difference might be when the long-lasting world resets, which might not get as many fresh players for the first few weeks as it does right now.
As for how technically or economically "doable" this is, it's for the Devs to decide. I think more resets would also mean more earnings, but that's impossible to say for sure and it's not for us to debate.
I'd like to hear from the community, and maybe the Devs, what pros and cons you can see that make this a good or a bad idea in your opinion.
Note: This might potentially mean the end of the Legacy server, but considering there's somewhere between 1 and 10 people playing it, it's probably worth losing it.