@iivirist, I and other ppl have been posting these same and many more different issues for literal years. You are high level, I think you have been around for long to see the things for what they are but I will type the fallowing anyway:
Once you figure out all the hidden game's user unfriendly mechanics, paired with ever more silver squeezing updates with less and less new content...the game loses its magic even for the biggest fan.
IN MY OPINION Joe's answer is just empty PR. Devs team have a vision for their game and outside is having close to zero say in it. This has been undeniable FACT over the years.
Speaking of in my 4 1/2 year experience here I can honestly recall only ONE instance where they listened. ONE! They made boat engine sound adjustable. And it only took them 3 years, because ppl talked about it as far ago as 2019. Not to say that this engine thing was game braking, only to illustrate the timeline for change here.
I wish this game evolved faster. They are just little too slow and little too greedy from the view of the seasoned players rostrum.
But I guess we already had our fun.
- signing 4300 hour in and not counting (for now) player