It seems that WotC have worked out how to update 5e, though, and they're doing it in the most sensible way they can. I can't imagine things would have gone well for them if they released a new version of the PHB with the new material included, for instance. It's also not exactly fair to expect them to release new player non-character mechanics¹ without charging
something for the time they took to develop it. It would be nice if, after it's been out for a while, the new player non-chargen options were added to Basic and the SRD. But that's quite possibly too much to expect
I am a lot more positive about "expanding" the game rather than "updating" it as it was done by 3.5.
I don't think this is truly a major expansion, but it isn't minor either. I am ok with this rate of character material release, and I only wish they would use the playtesting/feedback mechanism even more (I don't think the new Identifying Spells rule would have easily passed the feedback test).
As for the XGE material itself, I can't comment on the details because I'm waiting for the first print with errata before buying the book. But from what I know, most of it is material that I am interested in using in my games. The
archetypes obviously, since I've always felt that 2 per classes were a bit too few, so I am glad they have increased the minimum sets significantly (I like all the XGE archetypes except the War Mage, I'm even starting to like the dreaded Sun Soul). The
spells are very welcome, and thankfully they didn't unleash a ton of clerical spells this time, as well as the new
tools uses.
Rules clarifications and additions, I'll cherrypick them only. For
feats I was hoping for something more, but apparently they aren't ready, the racial feats are ok conceptually but for my tastes they rely too much on that boring +1 ASI. The only think that I really find irritating is the
names, especially because they are printed in such a ridiculous format that takes up tons of space, I would have rather had a lighter book at the same price honestly.