I think enabling pack purchases with DEC is a key part of this. A new player can now make something like a dollar a day with the starter set and then directly buy packs to quickly get up to level 4-5.

Then the grind sets in with the exponential nature of XP :).

Contrast that with the old system, where that was technically still possible, but you had to sell DEC at the bid for STEEMP, then pay 1% for STEEM, then buy packs.