[roninhacker]

not grandparent, but this topic is oft-discussed (but with no clear resolution!) on r/realtimestrategy

imo, the biggest obstacle is the combination of

a) RTS not being well-understood

b) sweaty streamers broadcasting the idea that the games are "solved"...but only enough to criticize you for not being "optimal," not enough to actually help you approach the game.

These add up to a very intimidating picture, unwelcoming for newcomers.

[malermeister]

I hate "meta" culture in gaming (as in "this is the 'perfect meta' and you're an idiot if you do anything different").

How do people think "new metas" get discovered? By people trying new stuff! This kind of cargo cult thinking means that we lose all creativity in gaming while also getting stuck on local optima.