Potion throwing is a confirmed intended feature. Yeah, I know, it's gamey. I wouldn't allow it at my DnD table except as a joke. But it's also something I'm willing to concede in a videogame. I'll probably only use it myself as a last resort, though.
I don't think surface effects necessarily have to come with this, it might just be a flag to remove, similar to how they removed them from cantrips.