Yeah it's always been that way. I'm not sure if it really adds too much, but it's been that way from the start. They are a little pricey for the first few levels, but you generally find plenty of them and a few levels in and they're not much of a cost at all. Like durability, it probably wouldn't really matter if Larian removed lockpicks entirely.
I don't find the lockpick cost much of a balancing factor. The cost of lockpicking should be the ability point investment.
