Yes it did, it's something that even fighters with 3D models do to keep the consistency of visual cues, GGXrd did it too. SFV isn't completely abandoning it, they're mirroring the animation but not the models. I imagine this will not make it to the final game as it will prove to be a problem when they come across a character with a weapon in one hand, like Vega.
Imagin Nash is Vega, and his glove hand is Vega's claw hand:
Once you mirror his animation but not his model, he will be attacking with his empty hand when he changes sides.
Sagat was not mirrored (his eye patch changes correctly) while Vega's claws mirror for mechanic reasons I suppose