After a lot of experience with the game I'd say it really isn't that hard once you get the hang of the secret pitfalls (but even then I only play it on Easier), but the learning curve is certainly very steep, unnecessarily vexing and gratuitously opaque.
Do you mean a major mechanic overhaul? Would depend on what qualifies, but generally each update is a handful of new assignments and one or two new/expanded mechanics. Last one was March 20th. We're supposedly due another any time this month, but who knows.When was the last time No Haven got a major update?