Wrong...I can rattle off dozens of games which allow work to suffice to get everything their events offer. In particular, an example from Nutaku is a prior Crush Crush event...they literally had a button called 'Fuck This Shit' to spend diamonds on things you either could not do, forgot to do, or just didn't want to do. They've since changed it to 'Insta-Finish' for their ongoing event but the reasoning remains exactly the same. Not a single thing in any of that game's events is paywalled beyond the FTPer's ability to complete.

If you are able to succeed at every gameplay situation they can throw at you, there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn't get the 'grand prize.' 'Consumption,' as you put it, is to make up for lack of success or sheer laziness. It is NEVER supposed to extend a giant, shit-covered middle finger they collectively pulled out of their ass to those who can wipe the floor with an event's challenges.

Microtransaction model games fail when consumption stops being for convenience and starts being required for full gaming experience. The small number of whales that are too hooked on the game to know any better are not enough to keep it going. Whales, casual spenders, and never-payers are ALL needed to keep a microtransaction game going. The game will never develop any new whales if the casual spending minnows get scared off, and those considering entering the ocean for free are simply told to fuck off.