[samuelizdat]

Consider the same theory applied to video game modding tools. In the 90s and early 2000's the freedom to work outside the scope of the authorized system created plenty of low quality maps and mods, but it also created things like Counter Strike, DOTA 2, Galactic Conquest (now Battlefront).

When is the last time good content was made in gaming? All the mods that were made with passion are now soulless DLC and pop culture referencing micro transactions. Everything is just remakes because no one has the courage to innovate. Anonymity is an inherent good. If you don't like your anonymous peers, then perhaps gatekeeping is also good too.

[EamonnMR]

There are other reasons for the dearth of mods nowdays. The PC is no longer such a dominant platform so many people who might be persuaded to try modding are playing on a device unsuited to it like a game console or phone, a pure consumption device. Another issue is production value-as games get better the bar gets raised higher and higher for content. Compare the effort required to make a SC1 map to making an SCII map, it's night and day. Finally, modding is no longer the only way to scratch the itch of game making-starting with Flash and followed Unity, Unreal and now Godot we have an embarrassment of platforms for making your own game that you will own. This scratches the same itch for people.

[LocalH]

We just took Guitar Hero II and upgraded it for its' 15th anniversary to add a lot of quality-of-life features for players (and since it's still for PS2, it's not a "remake" or "remaster", but a real upgrade). Any "pop culture" we reference is either music or GH community related. The other two members on the team especially really carried the project.

https://gh2-deluxe.neocities.org/

[frgtpsswrdlame]

Autobattlers are probably the most recent innovation, funnily enough coming out as a mod of DOTA.

[palijer]

And DOTA was just a custom Warcraft 3 map.

[Kye]

And then there's Minecraft.