Thing is they are treating for all intensive purpose a MMO as a single player open world game with an on-line element.
Avoiding the discussion of MMO...the issue this game has is that there is an expectation in the player base, that PVP is meaningful and has purpose within the game. There are many who will argue this point incessantly. I want this to be true, as I love the challenge (to play the rabbit to someones hawk and leave them with nothing but some fur in their claws makes me very happy!). But currently, the devs have fallen down on this promise. What I have stated about this game is absolutely true: 'The PVP in this game is between groups of players, out-collecting PVE trophies between them'.
I also believe, to the consternation of quite a few folks, that PVP is allowed within the confines of the game...but is not supportive, in and of itself, for those that want to play this way exclusively...leading, again, to an expectation that PVP is meaningful...but really is treated as a side show. Looking at in game reward systems and PVP costs and profits....I can come to no other conclusion. PVE is king..pays the bills...and PVP is meant to be a drain on peoples assets to play.
Hopefully, CQC will provide an income high enough to warrant folks playing the PVP side of the equation in the galaxy. Of course, while they are playing that..who will be in Open?
People point to Mobius as a way to avoid this issue. That is not a solution...that is a work around. Should the game have a PVE mode? <shrug> I bet the numbers of Mobius would be a lot larger if it was something all players were aware of and did not have to learn how to put in a friend request for. My hunch is that FDev hasn't included a PVE mode in the game for fear that Open/PVP would become entirely irrelevant at that point. Basically, if you want a social interaction within this game you have to go to Open. The Mobius workaround, notwithstanding.
Again..none of the above is aimed at denigrating PVP play, or those that are pushing it. There are just as many groups who want PVP to be fun for the participants as there are those who are confrontational/playing the bad guys. This is aimed squarely at the devs...and the design of the game.
'Meaningful PVP' is a goal...that is at best nebulous and ill-defined. Making Open with PVP the only option for social interaction will always be contentious. Mobius, although a great guy, should not have to carry the burden for this issue. I am sure that if he hadn't stepped up and run his PVE group, someone else would have. And this is a glaring issue within this design. No player should have to carry this. This is the devs problem to fix...if they think it needs fixing at all...and this, is actually where the game fails at the level you are discussing.