I'm actually just happy the birth/death thing will be an option on console now. This feature ruins the game for me. I like to take my time and that's not possible now. As it stands it feels like a rush to get things leveled just in time to die of old age, companions included.
Also the cheats are nice, that'll help with the incredibly boring slog that's literally a complete waste of game life in smithing. Birth/death wouldn't be so bad if chances of death were later on. Not 40+.
My last playthough 3 companions died right as I started my own kingdom. Then I died at 47. I turned it off and haven't touched it since. This new update should breathe life back into the game.