More features mean more users. Some stick to the old stuff, some embrace the new, and eventually certain values become the de facto default, not really optional anymore.
Take Redis. Turn off AOF and it works as a volatile in memory cache. But most of us don't even think about it that way. So there is this argument that fewer features and simpler is better.(Memcached is such an example in this context) The so called 'straitjacket' approach. That makes total sense for big teams. But on the other hand, open source projects need regular updates to keep getting funding or contributions, so there is a built in tension.
And sometimes that leads to specialized forks or spin offs that excel in one niche area. My personal take? There is no right answer. It all depends on the context. Communication itself isn't free, after all