I think it's part Covid but also part that they just underestimated how much time they needed. Clearly it still could have baked a little longer. It feels like it was only fully playable at the very end because so much QoL stuff needs to be added, in my opinion. I think it would have been smart to at least have the mod tools ready at launch, or at least weeks later. It looks like it's going to be months for those though.