[jsheard]

Maybe that's part of it, but I think not having any personal experience with the constraints of early computing is also a factor. The demoscene does try to keep that spirit going on modern platforms with artificial constraints like "Windows exe limited to 64kb" but I think it's harder for someone coming in fresh to appreciate the appeal of that handicap. They definitely won't appreciate the actual retro computer targets like the C64 and Amiga, why would they, those systems came out before they were born and unlike early game consoles they have almost no lasting appeal outside of nostalgia (sorry Amiga fans).