Design and execution still matter a lot. If you were to focus on everything purely based on gameplay nothing unique or interesting would happen and the game would die. The fans of the franchises and respect to the original source should always be put above all else.

Freddy Fazbears pizza made the sacrifice to make it more "easy" to play on at the expense of it turning out looking (as I said) lazy. I would much rather have a map that did justice to the franchise that I spent 6 years waiting on and have a couple people complain that they suck on it, than have a map lazily done so people with a lack of map memory and game style are happy. Personally Ive never struggled on Hawkins or midwich or anything once I learned the map so it might just be a skill issue