The issue is a bad animation is usually worse than no animation at all. If you get serious uncanny valley from a bad animation, that will turn you off both sexually and focus wise. Like consider this: If they added a new animation, that had facial animations like that in Mass Effect Andromeda... how would that make you feel?
Fully aware, but if they need good talent they either need to get lucky, pay a premium or cultivate. Now they seem kinda rudderless without one.
And if you can't afford the only other options remain. and Cultivating is not really a bad idea, there are slowly more games like these popping up.
Especially if you are on top of it, you could outsource your talent and what not, and or even help train new ones.
As for the current project they if can't use animations may as well use stills as place holders for the time being and hope to gain more patreons and or what not.
If the communicate clearly could open more options.