Videos are much more efficient than apngs or gifs, though, and it's just as easy to allow downloads (unless they're using variable bitrates which are a bit pointless for short animations anyway)
This is the web nerd equivalent of sitting next to a petrol-head at the traffic lights revving your engine.
I would have expected them to have fixed the obvious issue with their UI by now.
Are we talking about the same Reddit that still runs three different versions of their website because the newest version is so bad that people refuse to use it? I'm not holding my breath.
They seem to be following the 'ooh shiny' philosophy of software development.