I think NC wants rewamp the reward system, to update it with the 3.0 mechanics, that it seems will makes actual AP reward (Crowns) to go obsolete. How obsolete and why, still unknown to me. But another issue has been surely looked at, is about new players that are able, thanks to rewards, to get Abyss gear instantly when they get to the Abyss entry level, and start ganking all other players on save level who have not rewards, making de facto the entry level to Abyss a nightmare for every new player who haven't 20+ months of subscription "buff". I am anyway sure that rewarding players who keep active their subscription is something that will not be abandoned at all bt NC.