v.168 - Reboot Patch Notes

Beyond annoyance with it as it puts most later content behind a ridiculous timegate, it usually doesn't, no.

I definitely don't agree with the practice, but I just wanted to be certain I'd be able to eventually get to do that content without having to buy meso bags, and the answer seems to be yes, so thanks.

The timegate will definitely be worse in Reboot.
Collecting enough meso for hundreds of cubes will take a loooong time.
And since there are no funded players to buy CRA, Tyrant, or Superior Gollux items from, you'll be spending all those cubes on gear with inferior base stats (and no scrolling allowed).
Unless the bosses have been significantly weakened from what they are in the regular servers, Cygnus and above aren't going down any time soon.
(Unless somebody decides to put the price of a new car into meso sacks, that is).