Hey OP, this is issue has indeed come up previously. I myself brought it up right after that Update. And I agree with you in how I see things too.
But the question that remains is whether we are going to have any companions available to join us after Act 1? That's where there is confusion at present. If all your companions are from Act 1, and then any of them you don't have in your party get killed, leaving you party-locked for the rest of the game, that would be terrible game design. OTOH, if it is just these current five that are being referred to in that quote, and you save three of them and the other two die, and then once you get into Act 2 you meet a bunch more companions that can join your party, that would be fine with me.
