Maybe for the 25th anni; we will get a super hard event with unique items that are not just a standard upgrade from previous expansions gear. Same could be said for the raids from the new expansion itself. Items from rof/cotf/tds still are used in current game. I have some optimism for such a thing based on nos having item rewards like the new blood coaters and bravery clickie.
The trend has definitely been to make anniversary content that is easy and many people can participate in. I don't think we will ever see another Plane of War anniversary raid. They don't want to make short availability content that ROI thinks is super hard. Couldnt be a much bigger waste of dev time.
Anniversary events are for everyone to enjoy, not just a select few that are able to win super hard events.
I don't think anniversary raids should be particularly difficult but it's an odd premise. Difficult raids can be enjoyed by everyone, even if you're not successful, while extremely easy raids are not enjoyable by anyone. Except maybe people who just don't like video games.
Most people don't like beating their head against raids that they can't beat and that isn't good for a 25 year old game that already has low numbers of players.
I'm not against difficult raids. I have zero issues with devs making another Mearatas type raid but I don't think that making Anniv. raid that hard would be good for our community.
Here's a list of Anniversary raids that they released: 6th-9th - Fabled ToV, VT (and various Luclin), Time (and various PoP) 11th - Steel Behemoths 12th - Parts is Parts and Maximum Capacity 13th - ToFS 15th - Plane of War 17th - Krasnok 20th - GMM 23rd - Venril Sathir All of these are arguably 'end game' level fights, though their difficulty is variable. It is notable that Plane of War (15th) and GMM (20th) were big enough projects that they ended up keeping them in the game year round. I think everyone is hoping for and expecting to see another addition like one of these two. If I had my way there would be a Plane of War style zone every expansion, with minimal xp, extremely tough fights and some marginal augs and clickies as rewards for persevering through it. That's content that takes dedication, strategy and yes, at times, teamwork. It could be released in April so people can work to pick it apart over the next 6 months and sure, it should include a raid with the same philosophy. I don't see that kind of thing as gatekeeping content to the top levels, it is more creating lasting content that people who weren't at the top end can go back to years down the road. People seem to have it in their mind that they are entitled to certain content that fits their playing style, but in the end, content is content, and if it is good content with lasting rewards, it will continue to be a boon to EQ until the servers shut down. The only content that is bad is that which has no point, like some of the event content that has been released over the past year or so which features group level gear (or even no gear) with no special effects or stats, and no achievements that unlock or mean anything. No one is going to go back in a year and do those, hell, most people aren't even going to do those when they're released, as there's no point.
