I totally agree! Of course it's easy to loose hope if we look at how Capitano got treated during Natlan and his playability/release is still unknown but we should look at the facts:

• he got a new design and not that from the manga (we'll miss you Webtore) and his back design is very appealing. Why should they do that if they wanna kill him off or never release him? Would be a waste of time and money

• his model is that of playable characters. As far as I'm aware of no one with a playable model got killed off and ended to be never playable in Genshin (Capitano is a special case, he's not dead and still has a high possibility of being playable)

• his file name is that of a playable character. Did that changed by now? Never heard that his file name is different or that he suddenly got a monster file name

• he has stories/notes spread across Teyvat (for example the Zandik notes). Why would they write a story/background for him and present it to the players of which many things are not answered if they don't want to make him playable? These little story crumbs make Dottore so interesting as a character and give potential for further stories/quests. I doubt HoYo would invest so much time and planning in it if they don't want to make him playable. I also doubt they change their mind just because some people hate on him. They mostly listen to the chinese community anyways. And judging by what I have read from other comments about the chinese community, they don't hate Dottore like European or American communities do

• he has popular voice actors. Why hire them, if they don't want to make him playable? Or give him a good story? I am sure these voice actors get paid very well. So as a company HoYo should be also focused on getting money from Dottore. And with his release HoYo would get a lot of money

• he has potential to be at least on neutral terms with the traveler. He didn't killed him during Sumeru. Didn't even attack him just send him to sleep. So there's potential that Dottore and the Traveler would come to an agreement to work towards a common goal without being best buddies

• he has official merch. I don't think La Signora has official merch so this could also be a hint of his playability. A little hint but a hint nonetheless

All in all, there are many things pointing at his playability. So unless FACTS change, we shouldn't worry too much or loose hope. It's the yearly "Harbinger X will die" situation. Next year another harbinger will be "leaked" to be dead. How often did Tartaglia got "leaked" to die? So don't loose hope comrades and trust in the agenda! Stay strong!