So, trying again: right now the “how many tasks in a list” feature is not usable for me, no matter what size I set the text to–it’s just too small.
On reflection, I think what made this feel like a jab was both the actual implementation of the new feature as something I just can’t use, and the content of this thread, where there was talk of turning off badges to make the app “more zen,” (I’m very grateful we got badges back, by the way!) as well as various places around the forums where language like “cozy” and “cozy simplicity” get used. It makes worry that changes like this are coming from a place of philosophy, not necessity or practicality, and that there is no room for a user like me (whose needs are not really “zen” and are more “give yourself structure or chaos will eat you,” though perhaps not quite that dramatic) in the new philosophy of the app. 
Unfortunately I do think this is a an app-use-killer for me; being able to know at a glance how much work I have left on a project/list is key to how I organize and approach to-do lists. I like your company and I appreciate that the app needed to change, but there is really no new feature you could add that would compensate for the loss of this one, for me. And if this reflects a larger philosophical push for the app, then I think in the end it’s better for me to realize that now! 