The "work-in-progress" video proof in question basically showed some interface similar to a video editing program with assets popping in like layers, i.e. no actual drawing or concepts or anything.
Your point is very valid, but it also reads like you haven't seen the proof -- which, if anything, was even more of a nail to the coffin.
I just wanna say hi, and I remember those days, too.
For a long time, I couldn't understand people saying they hate the Internet or their phone or anything like that, because I had been having a blast for so long and thought it was one of the most vibrant, fun, educational and useful part of my life that has taught me a lot.
But at some point I found myself scrolling the same site for hours, trying to tear my eyes off screen and telling myself that I wasn't enjoying myself and that I should stop, but I just couldn't. That's when I finally understood.
I try to bring back intention to this. I think what I want to do online first before I do it -- what topic to look for when I want to watch a video, what kind of news or discourse I want to read, what's that on my mind that I want to share. Talking to my peers, I often feel like this kind of approach has long been lost to not thinking for yourself and wanting entertainment to just sort of happen to you, predict what you want, guess.
Big money figuring out the Internet has been a very bad thing.