My first kneejerk reaction is to be glad to see the 24 player modes removed (was never fond of them), but like Esmoire pointed out, maybe it was because the maps are just too big for just 24 people to occupy them. Seize is sort of bearable in terms of traveling around for some reason, but Secure and Shatter just feel like too much ground to cover for just 8 people (and large ice shouldn't exist with that few players either). I also agree that the preferred solution would be to make smaller maps for 24 people games, but I honestly do not see the devs creating 2-3 completely new maps just for it.

The full to near-full premade parties just had to go. They effectively ruin a match for the other two teams of 16/48 people 90% of the time. I'm sure the devs noticed this and that's why we have now have a cap of 4 people per queue. I totally support that particular change.