I personally don't mind that we don't have access to all NPCs throughout the game but instead of locking us in for the 3 people we pick at the end of ACT I (if that is indeed what they're planning to do, we don't really know for sure what "After the first act however you are going to have to commit" exactly means after all), I feel like we should be able to keep those companions in our camp that we've managed to establish some amount of rapport with (or other in-game justifications for why they're sticking around), and at least be able to switch out party members between that group.
Yes, by all means, those NPCs we have alienated (or whom we don't like for some reason) can go their own way, but there definitely needs to be a 'pool' to pick from at camp even after Act 1. *Especially* if party size stays 4.
