The popularity of video games reached its highest point during the Xbox 360 era, but has declined since then.

Do you ever find yourself reminiscing about the good old days? Nostalgia has a way of clouding our judgment and making us believe that things were better in the past. As much as we try to resist, it's a feeling that hits us all eventually. And for one reader, that feeling is tied to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era, which they believe was the pinnacle of gaming.

But what exactly made this generation so special? According to the reader, it was a time when publishers should have realized the potential and impact of their games. However, nostalgia aside, they acknowledge that there's probably nothing we can do to change the course of events. Yet, they are fully convinced that the Xbox 360 and PS3 era was the golden age of gaming and that the current state of the industry is a result of the foundation laid during that time.

The reader points out the issues that are prevalent in today's gaming world, such as layoffs and the high cost and time-consuming nature of game development. These problems were already visible during the Xbox 360 era, but publishers did nothing to address them. And now, with each new generation, these issues only seem to worsen.

Looking back at their Xbox 360 game collection, the reader is struck by how many popular franchises started during that time. They also note the variety of genres that were thriving, from arcade racers to puzzle games to 3D platformers. These were all mainstream games that were easily accessible and appealing to casual gamers.

But nowadays, these types of games have been overshadowed by free-to-play games that demand all of our time and attention, or single-player epics that can take hundreds of hours to complete. The reader longs for the days when a story campaign would only last around 12 hours, and then it was on to the next game. They believe that this bloat and focus on live service games started during the last generation, and it has led to a decrease in new IP and an abundance of sequels, reboots, and remakes.

In the reader's opinion, the Xbox 360 was the perfect balance. It had good graphics, proper online features, and games were affordable for both gamers and publishers. This allowed for risk-taking and experimentation, something that seems to be lacking in today's market. They compare it to eating too much and not exercising – it may taste great in the moment, but it's not sustainable in the long run.

They understand that saying "things were better in the old days" can come off as an "old man thing," but in this case, they truly believe it to be true. They wish that publishers had realized the truth of it at the time and slowed down the race for better graphics, gradually improving each generation. But instead, they did nothing and ignored the potential consequences. For once, the good old days really were better.

The reader concludes by mentioning the recent news of the Xbox 360 store closure and the loss of over 200 games. It's a reminder of the changing landscape of gaming and how things are not what they used to be. But despite all of this, the reader remains hopeful that we can find a way to bring back the magic of the Xbox 360 era. After all, the past may not always be better, but it's important to learn from it and strive for a better future.

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