Yes. It's a game. Not reality where you are *actually* putting your life at risk. Players used to take huge risks for the wider story and fun. I'd even say by being so risk-averse and creating a less fun environment over actually doing something as part of a wider story arc, they *are* losing the game.
I think you underestimate the number of people who think otherwise. Many people think they are losing the game by losing their titles. You need to provide people something they should worth risking themselves for. The game has tried to push people toward a certain direction forcefully in the past and it only cost the game players since this is after all a game. You can't force people to take risks. You need to make them want to take more risks.
