"PvP Game" is not a genre. Shooters are a genre, MOBAs are a genre. RTS is a genre. Yes, you compete with other players in all of those types of games, but other than that, those different genres have NOTHING IN COMMON AT ALL.
You're trying to compare Apples to Cinderblocks.
Actually... no. As a guy who studies HEMA and has been re-enacting and doing full-contact LARPing for 25 years... no. Fights did NOT last a long time. a 30-60 second fight was quite lengthy. A lot of fights between unarmored opponents lasted seconds. The moment one person puts their weapon even a centimeter out of position, its over. You dont take wounds, you get killed.Here is the biggest difference.
Going back to my coliseum model. I understand wanting to extend the length of fights.
Assume for a second you and I are equally skilled with a sword. We are thrown into a pit with a loin cloth and a rusty sword each, and are told to fight to the death. The fight would likely last long because of stamina, as we slowly whittle each other down. Blow after blow, injury after injury, etc etc. THAT is interesting/engaging.
Armored fighting is completely different, as most armors of any particular period were basically completely effective against the weapons of the day. A properly made riveted maile shirt basically makes your torso/arms/upper thighs invulnerable to most weapons of the day. Throw a brigandine over it and you're basically invulnerable to weapons all the way up to guns, and itll probably still save your life (if not protect you from all injury) even against all but the most modern of rifles.
So.. TLDR, your analogy is horribly flawed.