JSS had a whole video on this idea years ago back when RDR2 released. That people were forced to crunch and spend so much time crafting these overly long and drawn out animations and mechanics that in the end while really cool, barely had any impact on the game. Who cares about a full animation skinning an animal, or if the horse’s balls shrink if it means that people don’t get to go home after work on a regular basis?
In my replays of the game I went for the MEHEM ending, while the last time I played, it was still pretty jank, it felt more satisfying. And then just headcanon that the Citadel DLC was the epilogue, just one goofy ass send off. Otherwise they shouldn’t have ever touched the damn thing and let indoctrination theory pull them out of their fuck-up. Honestly I kinda wish we still had the indoctrination theory endings, it would’ve actually been an unexpected subversion.
Not the first time reality TV has so profoundly fucked with people like Space Cadets or the torture Nasubi got put through.