So? And? And...? In the end, where does all this appetite come from for, shall we say, not-so-high-quality images?

Well, what did you expect? The manufacturers of "hardware" need to eat, right?
On consoles, it's the opposite. One console lasts for 5-7 years, and you don't spend money on hardware, but the games are much more expensive than on PC.

What's the deal with the release of the 7th installment? Is it playable yet?)
I haven't gotten around to installing it yet... I just appreciated the figurine, art book, and cards with postcards. The Special Edition and the Collector's Edition were a bit disappointing - only 8 pages of art, compared to 14 for the "main" factions.