While setting dates and budget constrains is part of the publisher job (and thus, the blame falls on Ubisoft) I think the developers have their part of guilt. The new interface layout and look have been heavily criticized and there's no doubt it was an internal design decision.
I'm pretty sure that if SH5 were just like SH4+UBM with improved graphics (and maybe the ability to move around the sub freely), except for a few individuals, the community here would have welcomed it with open arms.
I'm not saying there wouldn't have been any criticism, maybe centered around the lack of innovation, but at least it would have been a solid base from which start modding.
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