The game sounds like it is getting better since we are going back to RPG instead of the GOGOGO E-sport mentality of change everything to be optimal for every single boss/dungeon even though rpgs are not meant to be played like that and Ion the LEAD DEV confirmed this. Which is why covenants are locked.
Rpgs are about character building, if you have 0 interesting in that I wonder why people evne bother playing, shadowlands sounds great to me and many others.
Some people on the high end who wont put the effort to level 4 of each can leave, I wont mind, I believe shadowlands will retain a far bigger % of casuals and rpg lovers than tryhards that will ragequit in the forums.