Question about game structure

Dear Vetex or any sort of person with any sort of insight,

How linear do you expect the game to be post-TGR? Personally, I feel like having the game be linear in an island-based map seems like a missed opportunity, as exploration would be amazing.

From,
Lich

just as linear as AA.
not VERY linear, but still awfully linear.

Well then…

It would be kinda epic if the story had some branches

Also for the love of god I hope that we get to return to previous areas a bunch because that would make the world feel so much more alive for all groups of players.

Conveniently always traveling to places where ALL people and enemies are always equally strong as you feels inorganic.

Vetex said the biggest island will be around 4x bigger than Alalea, and hinted that the smallest islands would be around the size of Doom island and Savaria, so I think exploration will be just fine

it’s gonna be linear, but vetex might add extensive side story quests and secret stuff