Just came back to this thread and holy fuck the Harem Mode sounds weird lmfao
I thought so too, but there's both an anonymous mode, a hide mode, and a "hide all" mode so really it's not a problem unless you have some SERIOUS anxiety issues - i.e. I know people don't do any online function because they're scared, but that's kind of a psychological issue. Imagine not playing Forza 5 because opponent cars have names.
Really the Forza 5 comparison is kinda accurate here: the other avatars could as well be bots. Interaction is limited to avoid discomfort. I've farmed a bit to help people obtain Likes (I also suggested a name change for likes, terrible name) and it doesn't feel weirder than just playing Forza.
The situation with Harem in the future is going to be a bit iffy: I want more to do, but some people want LESS to do. Making everyone happy isn't going to be easy.