But in a genre that is often criticised for too much hand-holding, isn't having to remove a feature so players aren't tempted to use it one of the most serious forms of hand-holding?
No.
Focus and hand-holding are two essentially different issues that actually work in the opposite direction.
Hand-holding means that you make it as easy as possible for the player to master the game. Examples are quest markers and several other indicates on the map. Usually you add little helping tools to your game in order to give players the chance to solve issues without too much effort.
Focus means that you design your game in a specific way that leads to a very specific experience for the player consuming it. Usually focus means that you limit a game's mechanics and tools and that you concentrate on the very experiece you want to deliver.
