Here's my take... I think that this is totally improving the game! Think about it. If Notch adds NPC's(which he is) then it'll be awesome. Maybe you could get married or get a companion from the village to live with you? Maybe there'll be Friendly, Neutral, and Aggressive villages. Like Humans, Pigmen, and Orcs/Trolls/Zombies? Then there's the Giant Mushrooms. It'll be like Terraria I think in which there's giant Mushroom fields underground? Then improved combat and stuff doesn't mean you level up certain things. It might just make you dig or chop wood or kill faster. It doesn't mean level up fighting but not woodcutting. It'll be 'Level 2 Reached! And you're better at everything. Then he hints at the Aether being added and talked about Cocoa and Apples on the surface. And bigger/better dungeons, better oceans, and boss fights?!!? It's not gonna change the game it's just gonna make it more awesome.
P.S. I remember a similar post for the Halloween Update. Everyone was like: The Nether is gonna ruin the game because it'll never be the same. It barely changed it at all.
