The save file issue wasn't a design choice in the sense that they wanted to cap save file size to 8MB to eventually stop player progress, and a lot of people seem to be coming in here with the idea that it's just that.
Yes, there's a max size limit on saves, however, SOMETHING is bloating in regards to player data that's causing the data in memory to exceed 8192KB. When you save after this has happened, instead of increasing the file size, the game just cuts off everything after 8192KB, rendering the file incomplete, or as the game used to say in 1.04, corrupt.
If the bloat can be fixed, or isolated and mitigated, the issue will be resolved without them having to touch on the 8MB size limit for saves. Both the bloat, and the 8MB size limits weren't design choices, but, have something to do with how the engine works. It's entirely possible that the 8MB size limit is a restriction carried over from REDengine 3 due to the fact that no save in The Witcher 3 ever came close to that file size, so, they just didn't think about increasing that size. The working theory is also that the problem with bloat exists because of REDengine 4 and how it handles player data. This is everything from itemIDs, player status, stats, location on the map, events done, cars bought, areas explored, and likely even more fine grain details like how many bullets fired, your accuracy percentage, how many headhsots etc.
We don't know.
What we DO know, is roughly what's causing the bloat, and we work off of that, trying to give people the best advice that we can for mitigating the save file issue, whether it's to change their playstyle, or to stop playing the game altogether (The option I chose), whatever suits the individual player.
To that end, i'm well aware that some people will not tolerate this and demand a refund, as is your right. You purchased a broken product, and I 100% agree with that. You have a right to be angry, and you have a right to voice those concerns on the forum, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. On the other side of that coin, there are people who know they purchased a broken product and are trying to figure out a way to work around the issue. Both camps are going to see the other as counterproductive because on the one hand, the refund camp doesn't agree that we're working to fix their [CDPRs] mistake. On the other hand, the fix the mistake camp feels like the complaining is unnecessary.
Does this suck? Yes. Is there anything we can do about it right now? No. Did that moderator fly in like an A10 Warthog dropping 30mm rounds on a clay hut with their hot take? Perhaps. I wont defend the moderators opinion, I will however defend their right to express it.
Be angry, be vocal, that's how this issue will get resolved, but, if you decide that you can no longer be patient, please respect everyone who decides to either fix the product or who decide to wait by not spamming around the forums that we should all get refunds. To the people fixing the problem or silently waiting, please respect that consumers have a right to be angry when they feel deceived, and they are going to be very vocal about it.
We can coexist in this single post, there's no real reason to try and push each other out.
"Can't we all just get along?"