Agreed. Organizing a fun multiplayer experience now often takes some amount of work either to get good enough to catch up to the aspirants and those approaching

Agreed. Organizing a fun multiplayer experience now often takes some amount of work either to get good enough to catch up to the aspirants and those approaching their level, or to organize an insulated community of moderates/casuals. And if you have time to devote to playing a game just in organizing such a community, you have to ask yourself if you'd rather not spend that time just playing the game itself and catching up? I think these kinds of middling communities are groups of friends who enjoy a variety of games together at which point, you need to make sure you have the right equipment to play 80% of what the rest of the group is playing online or you'll be left behind. I am in a position where I can only play about 30% or less of the games my online friends choose to play with my current setup.