I think the free roam dies out instantly if they dont bring it back.
Look at Most Wanted (both Versions), Carbon, Undercover, Rivals. The thing was that you tuned your car, finished the story and after that found yourself at These ridiculous insane long chases.
It was fun, it was something you could on the fly and sometimes (at higher level) it was really, really challenging.
My problem isnt exactly the activating. That's a personal minus but I am okaz with it. My problem is this track-racing-cops thing. On all media there was always the message that you risk something. High stakes, high skills and watch out for the rhinos.
What freedom and what challenge do I have in a such huge world (which is pretty damn beautiful by the way) when the police (who I should fear) follows me on a track and is gone after 7 miles of racing on a stricked line. I don't need to improvise. Don't need to be creative and I don't need to destroy anything. I just need to be first.
One of the two points on this game which I don't get. These were things no one expected to be different and yet they pulled out this one. I wonder how they come to ideas like that.