Core simmers are serious simmers.
And serious simmers never laugh at anything!
It does seem silly when some core simmers are anti-gamification since racing sims are the other key sim market, and racing by its very nature is a game.
Also, do folks think NeoFly markets to casuals?
Career Mode is central to American and European Truck Simulators.
I’ll argue (because this thread has been very friendly with the argue and debate) that MSFS has had qualities of a game since 1.0 when you could declare war by pressing, “W.”
Missions have been a part of MSFS for many decades.
Points have been a part of MSFS for the 21st century, at least in certain modes like flight training, historic flights, and landing challenges.
For those who do not like gamification, I highly suggest they kindly try this fancy new mode they call Free Flight. 
You know? Rather than angling to make sure that is all anyone else can play.
MSFS released too soon.
It isn’t a new mode’s fault. It is the producer’s fault they didn’t allow developers the time they needed to finish the product before releasing.