Agreed, but I can also see why they would hesitate a bit with RetroArch being used in all sorts of scenarios, some that come to mind:

- Powerful computers (so should be on by default)

- Embedded devices (ON or OFF depending how well it works and how much more CPU it uses)

- Portable emulation devices (totally should be off to save battery life)

It's hard to come up with a sensible default here, especially when a lot of people might upgrade, see the game runs worse/uses more battery and downgrade right away before inspecting changes.