So... This is the "improved encounter design"?

[Jeeqbit]

why wait until nearly halfway through the expansion cycle to introduce this kind of thing?

The new encounter design includes the current savage fights, but there is some context:

The first tier is always intentionally easier to account for people adjusting to job changes, new rotations and new players. Then they make it tougher as people are used to the new expansion's gimmicks.

[Stasya]

new expansion's gimmicks.

They legit copied p8s and p4s multiple times eksdee. Curtain call is new expansion gimmick

[Rekh]

The snore Yoship was talking about at fanfest was casual content such as dungeons. IIRC he said people were falling asleep in endwalker dubgeons.

Dawntrail casual content seems to have improved from the snore that were endwalker encounters.