I saw this post earlier and was disappointed at this news, but I was very close to Act 2 again myself so I wanted to wait to confirm with my own run before commenting.
I didn't experience the change you described, so either they fixed it in Hotfix #9 that was launched between our posts (even though I don't see it indicated in the patch notes), or we just tripped different flags in our campaigns.
I just spoke with Araj (which put Astarion at 97 approval) and then long rested.
This triggered the romance flag cutscene, same as my previous run.
The conversation I got felt slightly different but I may be misremembering the dialog I picked, or it could be due to minor choice differences I made. The most notable probably being (if they even matter):
- This is a Resist Urge run
- I only slept with him once, and declined the second offer (at the party I just told him "maybe some other time" - the fake confession kinda put my boy off that night)
- Same as last time though I've declined romance routes from everyone else (I have flirted at Halsin a bit, but done other companion cutscenes right up until the point they get too intimate)
I did accept the quest from Raphael but I haven't set foot in the temple to even encounter Yurgir yet and I'm still flagged for romance and getting smooches, so on my end the romance flag seems to still be working as before.
