I don't like how this topic has developed here. Especially how @Senemedar writes here and others answer in the same way.
To say that the game would be dead is just as wrong as to say that BDO is a PvP game (BDO is a PvPvE game). BDO has won a lot of players by taking over PA and the introduction of the Season Server. How many exactly? it is unknown. BDO also won many players through the publication on Steam. Of course, not everyone has remained, but that's the case with every MMO. PvE MMO´s also lose most of their players after the first few months.
I think it's wrong to try solve this problem in this way. U better think of a solution, that keeps this open world Sandbox PvX concept of the game and at the same time, helps some players that only want PvE, but dont want to leave the game.

I don't think this is much of an issue anymore.  I haven't been attacked/challenged in over a year this month.  Most player killers seem to be elsewhere.    If you find yourself the target, I do suggest the following;

Don't autopath AFK along the Demi River (between Calpheon to Altanova).  If you need to train horses use any character below level 50 or train in the far south.  From Grana to Duvencrune is nothing but bunnies and deer.  Don't use the top crowded servers unless it is a "Season Server" they are no PvP allowed.  Pick something down near the bottom of the list. The road less traveled is safer. 

When you are engaged by a PKer, and desire not to fight back,  don't panic just press the V key to evade them.  If you are concerned about them killing  your horse, connect it to any cheap wagon. Wagons can get destroyed but the horses attached to it never die.  If you fight these players (as I have) you will find they lack any skill what-so-ever.  The best they can do is make a beefy character, but they seem to have a problem fighting the NPCs on their level.  They resort to killing the people AFK who can't fight back at all... what a challenge that must be for them.

Above all else, have fun!

The PK system needs to be improved. New Adventurers or fearful Adventurers are too scared to play.
Black Desert is an open-world game designed to allow you go anywhere, and let’s you freely enjoy your choice in playstyle. However, the level of freedom goes up, it means other Adventurers are able to interfere in the adventures of others as you stated. But there are a variety of safeguards put in place that don’t compromise the fundamental freedoms of the game.

First of all, there are many safe zones spread around, including towns and cities, the inability to PK characters under level 50, and the growth server Olvia has forced PvP mode turned off. In addition, we created an environment where Adventurers who recklessly PK are imposed with disadvantages that makes it difficult to harass an Adventurer. On the other hand, for adventurers who want to enjoy PK, we are continuing to develop a variety of PVP content, along with the Battle Arena, Red Battlefield, Arena of Arsha, Node War, Conquest War, and the desert itself.

We will continue to think about ways to make your adventures more enjoyable.

Dev interview.  Refer to link: Black Desert | PEARL ABYSS (playblackdesert.com)

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"Also, your usage of Marni’s Realm is limited to 1 hour per day.

While we heard your initial feedback on 1 hour being somewhat short, we didn’t want Marni’s Realm to end up overshadowing the main content of Black Desert, that is, fighting monsters in the open world alongside other Adventurers. Therefore, we have no plans to increase the daily limit at this time."

https://grumpygreen.cricket/marnis-realm/

BDO is an Open World Sandbox-oriented PvX MMORPG, clearly.  The devs literally said it themselves multiple times.  There are MANY ways to avoid PvP -- But, the possibility of it remains because of the game's CORE design philosophy of "freedom".

- To avoid PvP, swap server.  They added Home Channels recently so there is ZERO cooldown.  They reduced cooldown from 15 minutes to 10 minutes on non-Home Channels as well.  Great QoL.

- Play on Seasons -- Zero PvP there, and you can make 500+ mil an hour with no threat of PvP.

- Marni's Realm was made to allow uninterrupted grind sessions.  I use this daily.

- Keep your lifeskillers at level 50 -- They CANNOT be attacked.

- If a player is attacked in lifeskill clothes, the attacker loses a huge chunk of Karma.  Being Red is disadvantageous enough that the overwhelming majority of players rather not be red.

- Grind less contested rotations / grind zones.  Common sense will tell you the best grind spots will offer the most competition.  So many grind spots now that give good money, finding a grind spot has never been easier.  Back in the day, we only had 2-3 viable grind spots, now, literally all of Valencia, Kamasylvia, and Drieghan are viable, and you only need bare minimum gear (TRI+ Tuvala) to grind and make big money there.

There are MANY ways players can avoid PvP -- you are NEVER "forced" to PvP.  Especially with things like Home Channel swapping.  So this post title is not only misleading, but flagrantly deceptive and a lie.  Swap channel!!!  How easy it is to avoid PvP!  SWAP.

>> Maybe the Karma System needs to be improved -- maybe make reckless and nonsensical PK more punishing, remove mob feeding, allow more ways for players to dutifully defend their claimed rotation if the time comes.  Maybe offer more ways players can avoid PvP, like maybe a dedicated Lifeskill Server with no mobs, just for lifeskills (just throwing out ideas).  Maybe a functional Bounty System can alleviate some things. 

But Keep BDO PvX.  The level of freedom that comes with a PvX game makes way for Player-Driven Content, an exciting experience, and a flex of this game's combat system.  It's part of what makes BDO unique, stand out in a crowd of PvE themepark MMO's, and part of what makes BDO the game it is.  PvX is part of the game's identity.  Can things be improved while keeping this core philosophy in mind?  Of course.  Maybe that should be discussed instead -- things that contribute to the game, not literally take things away from it's core game design.

Season + Marni Realm + Home Channels + virtually countless viable grind spots minimize open world PvP to a huge degree already -- Bounty System would be the cherry on the cake IMO.  That way you guys can call the police to take care of your PvP problems.  Sign me up.  Keep me on speed dail if thta comes out.

In my opinion too. That would help this PvE ppl even more and would be so fun for other ppl. Running away from bounty hunter while trying to gain krama points, or chase a red player as a sheriff would be a dream for role play pvp :D That would be also in the vision of the game.

Using owpvp itself to control owpvp abuses. Yep, that's the idea!

With that said, such a system would need to be carefully thought, or it would end up being exploited by morons. For example, the system must not allow someone to get rid of his sins by getting killed by a sheriff friend... Or to make money with kill trading between false victims, killers and sheriffs. 

The sherrif system that had been introduced before on Glabs had a number of issues that allowed for abuse, which is a reason why it never made it out of the test server. Any subsequent trials for such a system would have to be well thought out, and tailored to the West's preference to immidiately abuse anything we can find. 
While I do find it an interesting idea (and oh my, imagine being rewarded or encouraged to actually engage in owPvP in this game), I know that within minutes of the system being introduced, people were already devising ideas on how to grief their enemies, destroy their crystals and stop them from ever grinding, or moving around in the world. 

Powerful systems like player justice are very hard to implement satisfactorily, especially considering BDOs own additional systems and its framework.

And why should they stay longer in BDO if they hit wall: toxic unwanted open pvp, sick enchanting and no progress?

How do you think why? Because there is no pvp, because tuvala pen is available to everyone. Because they're playing for something (they will change tuvala pen to boss tet, then thanks to Jetina to boss pen, and then even to Fallen God.

But ... that's it, then wall comes. No option for black star pen, no option for acc pen, no option for fallen god pen.

Life skills will also not take care of because they do not give any profit or it is ridiculously small compared to mob thrash. Reaching a guru in some life skills requires: years and / or an enormous financial outlay. Getting manos pens is impossible.

So there is only one option left: to leave BDO.

Many other content is dead and out of date. Eg. great marni stone. I have 3. I'm not even going to collect them, drop them is like winning on lottery. And then what? Killing 50,000 mobs for a worthless accessory. ROTFL. Letters in a bottle. I have not yet acquired a single one. Treasures? This is what I do now, but only because I have an hour in the private zone and becaue they add this funny weekly quest. But this only works on infinity potions because they have mini parts. I spent over 50 hours in Aakman and what for? And PA doesn't want to add mini parts for the rest of the treasures. So what to do in this game? I have over 640 energy, over 8,000 mobs knowledge. It will take a while to get 10,000, but again: what next?

640 energy (i have 653 )isnt even that bad to get neither is 8k (i have 8.5k)mob ecology. Letters in the bottle(had like 20 in the last year or something the quest is a nusiance) if you afk fish overnight an are odylitta they seem to drop quite frequently. 

Btw why do you always want the game to be completable you know once you get to that point there is nothing to do ..? Except maybe nodewars 

You don't find fun in BDO, but other players easily find it. There are plenty of things to do in BDO.

Yep, as soon as something  can by used for griefing, it will. If going red really have a high impact, you can be sure that some players will think about "how can I act to make them go red?". This is the exact reasoning behind bodythrowing, and that issue is still not solved to this day.

The most important work would be to control any type of bad behavior, before thinking about any kind of sheriff system. That's why I made this suggestion :

https://www.naeu.playblackdesert.com/en-US/Forum/ForumTopic/Detail?_topicNo=23477&_opinionNo=0