They explained that they ditched plans for multiple playable characters because 1) creating 4 (or more) vastly different kinds of playable characters that all have so much depth/variety/quality that you could basically play the game through with any character without one feeling inferior to any other would be a huge task and 2) with Noctis teleporting around the battlefield, it would get too chaotic at times when Noctis can go from land to on top of a train and then into an airship in a matter of seconds.I was right about character control.It was never difficult to do,especially given the simplistic control scheme.
They cut core features that were promised years ago and kept them off for DLC/sequels.
This doesn't necessarily negate that explanation. Even if they are playable, they might be far more simplistic in comparison to Noctis, which is fine for a shorter DLC story but might not cut it for a full game experience where everyone should be equal in gameplay quality/variety instead of one being like Noctis who can do fucktons of things and the others having, like, a 3 hit combo and a few special attacks and not much else.