I really doubt any game developers sees their game that way. Especially with this sort of game which is supposed to be a "living, expanding universe". You're supposed to develop a relationship with your player base. The core mechanics and idea behind the game will always be the intellectual property of the developer, sure. But once the game is released, player feedback is crucial to keeping the game current and relevant. This is the biggest argument against Bungie right now. Players ask to go left, and they go right. These things might work out short term, but in the long run they will lead to a decreasing player base. The statistics being put out that show an increasing player base need to be taken with a grain of salt. My friend list for example, is only connected to raid and some couple of other activities, and the rest of the week they're off playing a different game. This means they're technically active, but not the way they used to be. They have become "casual gamers". This statistically means they are active players, but they have gone from hardcore players to casual players, and the trend will keep going.