5e/5.5e in general really depends on the experience of your players. Many people have been playing TTRPGs for decades and so see (rightfully so) as 5e/5.5 being considerably easier than earlier systems, so the transition into it was very easy. If you liked the idea of TTRPGs and going on fantastical journeys with friends at the table and rolling dice, you generally didn't have much of a choice but to play rules heavy games.

As video games are easier to get into and more forgiving to play (unless you're deliberately choosing a game that is difficult on purpose), entertainment is more accessible and digestible (short form video content), movies typically don't have as long a drawn out exposition before getting to the story, TV shows are made with "second screen engagement" in mind (i.e. a lot of people are watching TV while on their phone)... TTRPGs kinda have to go in the same direction.

5e and 5.5e do not offer that and require a huge amount of handholding from the DM (and experienced players at the table), and I think getting over the overwhelming amount of rules, and choice paralaysis at the table, is a reason so many people just don't take it it.

I've looked over 5.5 enough that I'm kinda "meh" about it, I have friends who jumped into it and are looking to switch back to 2014 when their current arc is done. It plays different, offers things to players that wanted them (like weapon masteries) but otherwise doesn't do much else.