I think it's worth putting into context what the "likes" represent - they're a gauge for interest in the topic on the forum. 1,7k is, to my knowledge, an unprecedented number on this forum, and I would challenge anyone to find a thread requesting Viera more generally or Hrothgar, which exceeded that.
At best, the figure is a lower limit on demand for the race, but we know enough about actively played character statistics and the fact that they're adding new races as it is (i.e. the expectation to capitalise on increased demand this would bring about for the game), to suggest it'd be higher than that. The attention the thread has garnered has served its purpose of getting them to at least consider the missing genders' addition, and as I said in the past, I expect that will be depending on how well the expansion does, and also how well the new races fare.
Besides, they have ample means of gauging demand more accurately should they choose to avail themselves of them, such as surveys, as well as the information sales figures for ShB will provide them.
Virtually any upgrade related to the assets will become more cost-prohibitive the longer it is left, because you have 1) fewer expansions to benefit from them and thus an implied drop in their return on investment and 2) the sheer costs themselves will escalate. So I also think 6.0 is make or break for such features.
