I believe that they should do what M&B did and allow you to choose whether you want to enable ironman mode (or whatever it's called) where you cannot exit without saving, and perhaps even only have one save slot.
The reason that Kenshi is saying it isn't doing what all the 'stinky smelly games' are doing is because stinky smelly games have found a formula which works and brings a lot of money to the companies that make them, but they end up not really innovating too much because innovation is a risk and might not sell as well as Call of Battlefield 5: 2: moderner combat. People keep buying those games, so companies keep making them. Basically they say "Hey this game keeps selling every year let's go make it again for more money!" Unfamiliar games and IP's don't have that nice formula to go by so they can't guarantee that people will buy them.
So, if larger companies are not taking the risk to create something different, who does that leave? People who want to play a game, but the game does not exist, so they make it themselves.
It's too early to say and I'm not the developer, but it seems Kenshi is going to be one of those games where stuff happens in the world without your input. So, if you are dicking around, shit's gonna be happening without you having to go instigate anything or activate a quest yourself. That alone seems to be different from a lot of other games I've been seeing recently. Then there's the possibility that your actions may change the way the world works: for example, saving a town from bandits which may mean the town has more supplies to trade and prosper, but down the line the bandits may come back with larger numbers, angry that you've messed with them, or in fact might even send squads after you to take you out. Or perhaps you raid the town yourself and take all the spoils...
But again, it's too early to say. I'm relatively optimistic however, even though it would probably safer to remain pessimistic until the game has developed further.