Someone who didn't pay for OW1 might have no ground to complain, but in my case I paid for OW1 which now doesn't exist and I am left with OW2 which locks away any kind of progression unless I pay.

It's a bait and switch and the community is rightfully angry. If they wanted to make a f2p OW they could've released OW2 as a standalone, except they knew no one would have migrated so instead they killed the old one.

heroes used to be released and everyone would get them. now there's a pay/play a LOT to unlock mechanic. same goes to cosmetics.

Oh yeah true. But i think everyone felt they were just being screwed with though.