I have like 4k hours on Splatoon and I have to say that while you're not wrong, I wouldn't quite characterize it as doom and gloom. 2 was worth $60, the DLC content was worth... what was it even? The 3 DLC is $25. Anyway, the 2 DLC was worth the much larger more difficult higher replay value solo content. All of 3s content is achievable if you play it often and none of it is in any way "needed". If anything they've loosened things up a bit by making gear easier to customize, making it easier to acquire the stuff with which you do the customization. Even people with half the time as me at the end of 2 had maxed out their money and owned everything. What's the point in having money if it's trivial to buy everything? While now they have pass mechanics in place, previous seasons content is available in new seasons albeit from a gacha machine.

I guess what I'm trying to say is yeah they have the essence of some problematic mechanics at work but if anything I find navigating them to be rewarding and not limiting. In this case they're not even really behind the industry, they're kind of lateral just lacking real money. I think this is an interesting position to be in, my big concern is they may be training players to feel good about these systems and then in S4 they allow you to put real money in...