I don't think the bloat makes the game obsolete or even necessarily an unwelcome mess, but the introduction of a new version can. Bloat is very much ignorable, and if wasn't for
DDI, those new crunchy rules from AV, MP, AP, FRPG and EPG wouldn't be a part of my game.
The reason for new rulebooks is a profitable business, not to try to slowly ruin the game. Making the so-called bloat nearly invisible by making it so well organized and selectable in
DDI shows that they are trying to
not make it a mess.