/shrug
Been called worse
Regardless, to bring up WoW grinding in comparison to this game completely over exaggerates what you expect from endgame content. In the end, this is still just a ROM file of classic pokemon games just with multiplayer aspects. The only reason changes like these are necessary to keep the MMO concept of it relevant is to eliminate items that players can just stockpile overtime and sell for relatively high prices that can just be compared to that of EXP boosts, the object is to reduce prices of said items to a more reasonable price and encourage player activity.
Now whether you see that as 'pointless grinding' is all your opinion, this was something, like DS said earlier, they had intended to implement since 2016.
Baa