Are you really happy with the game?

I'm a (mostly) free to play player who appreciates that games like this which can be played for free require some kind of p2w element to balance out and have superiority  over f2p.

I have gone for the paid track granted (the extra omicrons alone are worth the cost of 3 beers a month), but from what I've seen the free track isn't so bad.

As for what reasons- the game has always had a p2w gap, and you can enjoy the game without trying to keep up with whales. In my case I spend about 30 quid a month (obviously to some this might not qualify as mostly f2p!) and comfortably sit in K2/K3.  I do so because over 6-7 years I've got to a point where I am only going after new characters. Maybe 3 years ago Id be as unhappy as you (I was completing older characters and couldn't go for new characters immediately), which makes me wonder if a lot of the complaints about the changes are by accounts which shouldn't be worried about competing against whales, or even be chasing end game content as their account isn't ready yet.