Almost everything you have an issue with, IS BECAUSE DAV started out as a live service/multiplayer game.
The live service concept was after pivoting once already, so technically it started out as single player (project Joplin), but I think very little of that first iteration remains. The official art book has some concepts for Joplin that looked really promising (e.g. the hub being a ship).
The live service DNA is certainly felt, though, especially in the progression systems (e.g. randomized loot).
Project Joplin was the multiplayer concept. I am holding the artbook in my hands on the chapter.
