You can take the right path and in the end no-one wants to use your product because it's not as engaging.
Instagram tried to take the "good" path in 2014 and lost 90% market share to TikTok who attentionmaxxed things. Then they had to take the exploitative path to claw back users.
As long as it's not regulated for everyone at the same time, you need to do this for survival of your product.
maybe that product doesn't deserve to survive.
"Hmmm, but if I cap the Torment Nexus, the competing Torment Core will win out, we can't have that!"
I am well aware that being more evil can be profitable.
Being evil for no gain whatsoever is quite extreme absurdity, though it also happens to some.