Example of How Failing to Uphold Meritocracy Ruined WoW

World of Warcraft for example had this principle ironed out in the first few expansions. Even an average player could reach final level and see most of the game. However, if you wanted more, then you had to do dungeons and then raids. Best item rewards were reserved to those who could beat raids. Desire to obtain these best-in-game items is what motivated people to do raids in the first place. They looked the best and had best stats. Wielding them showed yourself and everyone that you are the best. A just reward for great effort. They looked best in the league, otherwise why grind some tough raid boss for an item that looks like shit.

However eventually Blizzard began to experiment with dodgy looks for items. That eventually created demand for trans-mog so that one can have actually powerfully looking items on them. Then they implemented stats and level squishing, which felt like taking away the progress, people put a lot of effort to get. Finally, they decided to make levels of monsters' scale with your own. Now no matter how much you level, you cannot start smashing old monsters like flies. Sure, few people spent a lot of their time in low level zones to stroke their ego by killing grey mobs, but the very fact that you could always do that was one of the reasons people were leveling their characters.

People hate "modern WoW" precisely because it fell into Mario Wonder logic. You no longer get to stand on top of the world with godlike powers after you killed the strongest people in the universe.

Arthas and Illidan were the strongest out there. Other characters, unable to beat them themselves, humbly asked you to save them from these two. Once you achieved that, you can feel that you are the strongest person in WoW. Also, you get to wield Twin Blades of Azzinouth too. Finally, you can feel that you did a good thing and once again saved your fraction and race from being utterly exterminated by Illidari or the Scourge. The only reason Stormwind does not look like Strathholme is because you did the Ice Crown Citadel Raid and killed Arthas. You were the savior, most NPCs worshiped. 

That changed since Mists of Pandaria. Now game treats you as nothing more than a scrub to run errands for some big shots. There are still raids but beating them no longer gives you the same power feel as before. Raid bosses are no longer threat to Azeroth existence, they are just some outcasts your bosses want you to get rid of since they cannot be bothered themselves.

One of the reasons to play video games is to feel having unlimited power. One does not want to be a gofer for others. One wants to stand above others like a boss or champion. A least I want to stand above others. That is why people hate games that treat them as errand boy.