I think that the "just nostalgia for your formative years" argument, being fundamentally ad hominem (doesn't mean it's not relevant though!) is a little flawed

I think that the "just nostalgia for your formative years" argument, being fundamentally ad hominem (doesn't mean it's not relevant though!) is a little flawed against actual criticism. I never really played MMOs apart from some F2P titles back in middle school, but I believe that "dumbing down" games is a real thing and detrimental to people playing. When I emerge from a longer playing session of some challenging game where I'm really on my own when it comes to controlling it and winning (I'm thinking Nethack, a game way older than me), I feel... not productive, but intellectually capable. No regrets. Whereas after a session of something where 1) the devs really want me to win and God forbid not feel lost or overwhelmed by anything! 2) there's a clear intention to continually suck time and preferably money, I feel dumber myself, my time wasted and sadder about doing anything else. And of course they make it at least somewhat addictive to make it harder to stop. What I'm saying is games are a significant part of daily life experience for many people, and it's fair to judge how it shapes them. I'm not saying all games should be hard, just that they should provide honest rather than fake challenge on the appropriate level.