Different people want different things. My take is that years ago, the pieced pattern was really the 'star', because the fabric selection was much smaller. A complex pattern was the way to go. This, however, limited the number of quilters due to the complexity of the patterns. Now there are gorgeous fabrics with larger motifs. You see posts all the time about folks hesitant to cut into such beautiful material, so now there are lots of patterns out there with large pieces to showcase the fabric. I also think that the beautiful fabric and large selection attracts newer quilters who are looking for a quick project. Some will only make one quilt, some will continue with quick patterns and some will seek out unique, complex works of art. All the quilters get a sense of satisfaction from completing a project, no matter which pattern they use.