I really don't see the difference.

Sea of Clouds, Fringes, Peaks, Kholusia and Ahm Areang were all expansion areas where the other half of the map and aether currents were blocked by msq. This happens every expansion.

Every expansion has you splitting up between two different zones to go and do quests. Then when both branches are done, you're back into one main thread and then get a X1 dungeon.

Maybe EW has more cutscenes but that would be about the only differnce. The actual strucuture of the game is very much the same as prior expansions.

On the trigger warning thing, I'd be fine with them adding them as an option as long as those of us that don't want them can keep them disabled.