What happened to gaming?

I see a lot of discussion around gaming, especially among my friends, and the consensus seems to be that "gaming doesn’t hit like it used to." I have to agree, but I don’t necessarily believe that gaming’s prime is behind us.

I feel like a lot of the problem comes down to publishers and executives getting involved in the games industry, shifting the focus from creative storytelling, immersive gameplay, and solid multiplayer experiences that build communities to "How can we get players to play longer to increase their likelihood of spending money in our in-game store?"

Originally, the issue was loot boxes—slot machines for cosmetics? Eh, I wasn’t a fan, but at least nothing gameplay-related was locked behind these transactions (cough cough COD cough). However, ever since the lawsuits from a few years ago, we've seen nearly every game adopt the battle pass system. Frankly, it's now overdone and creatively bankrupt.

This is especially true in games like Call of Duty or Fortnite, where the battle pass is stuffed with mediocre items you’ll never use, only to dangle a single skin at the end—the one you actually wanted. And once you get it? You’ll probably stop using it as soon as you realize everyone else has it too.

The real issue is that every game using this system feels exactly the same, and eventually, the FOMO (fear of missing out) loses its grip. You stop caring—especially in Call of Duty, where there’s no guarantee that the cosmetics you earned will even carry over to the next game.

I think if developers focused on prioritizing fun gameplay instead of relying on manipulative tactics like FOMO, players would actually be more willing to spend money on these games. At least, that’s how I feel with Helldivers 2.