These characters must be available all the time or have their impact on the game diminished. I’ve never seen them pulled after the season starting banner so I assume they can’t be.
As more seasons go on those who are luckier with exclusives will dominate.
Those without will just leave the game.
I understand the design is to get people to buy crystals but no one will do that in a dead game. And the game will die as more seasons and exclusives come out and more people fail to get them and just leave because they cannot even come close to competing or get removed from their alliance because they were unlucky.
Exclusives are a novel idea but it’s a double edged sword. I’ll play season 3 for not but if I go into a 4th season with no exclusives I’m done with the game. By that point there is no point especially when people in my alliance have 3 or more.
I’ve no doubt they would remove me simply because people with exclusives are more competitive and blessed on how outworld works and guild buff they will want the strongest players in the guild.