How will this in any way affect loading time, though? Sure, the queue for the backwards seats will probably take a while, affecting those in that queue. But those are the people who actively chose to wait longer to ride the thing backwards. I don't imagine it takes any longer than usual to buckle people into a backwards-facing seat, so if you don't ride it backwards, that "gimmick" as you call it won't affect you.
A gimmick, though? It's a unique aspect. As people have said, every ride that VRTP build goes above and beyond to make sure it is distinguishable from others around the world, and not just a basic clone of every other ride of its type. The added helix to an SLC, the elevator lift and extensive theming on a Wild Mouse, the four-abreast seating on an El Toro... And now one backwards row on a hyper. It will not affect capacity, the only thing it will affect is there will be one line of people who have to wait longer to ride it backwards. By the sounds of things, the people complaining won't ride it backwards, and therefore it DOESN'T AFFECT YOU.
And besides, it adds a whole new ride experience to the same coaster. I'm keen to go and ride forwards for my first ever hyper. But then, once I've ridden it a few times and already had the experience, I have the option to do it backwards. Different experience, different thrills. Two for one. Why are people complaining? Who gives a sh*t if it's gimmicky - it's clever, it's unique, it's a world-first and it's going to draw crowds and be incredible.