You're right, but also it resets occasionally. However, this is always the case anyway. I used to play Escape from Tarkov (I recently started playing Singleplayer Tarkov again, which runs on Linux, and development was recently stopped due to a trademark warning —not copyright, they just can't use the name), and the way streamers play is so much different to most players. They spend so much time in the game that they have a skill level where they hardly are playing the same game. Even starting from the same position, or even worse through optional challenges, they stomp the average player.

There's no such thing as an even playing field. I do think efforts should be made to minimize it, but making progression off-limits because it gives players who progressed further an advantage is a little silly. It doesn't belong in every game, but it's fine in some.

That’s a fair point for sure. Though I like that there are phases where lvl 1 armour is more common, lvl 2 is more common, etc etc. But they could just doing to by changing the pricing over the course of the season, which may bring a fun investment aspect to their metagame. Hopefully they iron out some stuff .