It's the old start-up vs late-game debate...
This is a debate almost as old as the game itself, however, after being on both sides of the fence (I used to play down start-up and was pro late-game), however, I can say - without a shadow of doubt - start-up requires more skill and is a lot more fun... well, at least that was the case before TW died!
No disrespect, the only players I know who suggest late-game requires more skill, are those who struggle amongst the superior start-up players. That's not to say late-game requires zero skill - it does - the thing is, though... skilled start-up players can also play late-game... and absolutely dominate... it's extremely rare, almost unheard of, to see late-gamers dominate start-up.
For example, and I won't name any names, there are many players I've played with from start-up right the way through to late-game who struggled to break into the top 100 until skilled players quit. These players couldn't hit the top 500 during start up or the top 100 during late-game until the superior players quit.
The stats speak for themselves - check the stats of any player who finished a world rank 1 when the world ended and... then see how they performed during other worlds... it's rare you will find them break into the top 10 until way into late-game when better players give into boredom, join new worlds, or go back to rl.
One thing these late-gamers do have, though, is persistence. And I respect that... but to claim they are equal to start-up players, just in different areas, is absurd... persistence isn't a skill, it's a mindset.
Forget what I said about naming names - this guy has just nobled my farm, thus deserves being unveiled for the noob that he is -
TommyTank200 was the rank 1 player when UK26 ended - and I assure you, this would NOT have been the case had better players stuck with UK26... His persistence, not skill, made him the rank 1 player.