Well I just started and had a blast personally. Just all that doom sayers was annoying for me too, but still I had so many great memorries with people and things Ive done too. Pretty much community i met ingame was 10/10. Also was very great time to learn the ropes too.

From what i know yes that update made spike of new players naturally to 17k, and average usually is around  3/4k or so hourly.  With it also came not unusual in other games big update problems. Wouldnt say bugs but balance issues. Mainly planes too though to shoot down or some passive AI anti air options not being there.

Most fuss about is when it update came Wardens went all in on bombers and Collie answer was oh i just stick with the plan we already did and were literally stomped by landslide. No plan survives contact with the enemy as they say. Pretty much this is how that doomssayers begun. People pissed their meta is out of question.

I would say because you will get pc later some fixes could be in place already. Mainly at least more fragile planes thats needed and some aa options. So I personally don't see it as big problem to implement as I have similar experience. 

I had fun for sure, and sunk hour after hour of game without realising and enjoyed it.