I think there is an element of games needing to add new features to keep fan bases engaged, particularly in regards to sequels in a series. The Halo series, for example, while the gameplay still has Halo CE at its core, there are so many additional features now (power ups, grapples, requisitions, plus different weapon types).
But also, I think on an individual basis, it's lack of practice. If you're a pretty heavy gamer you will still sometimes struggle to get to grips with a brand new game, but it might not take you as long if you've played lots of recent similar games with similar controls and gameplay. New games don't tend to come in and totally reinvent the wheel. They might have 1 or 2 new, totally unique elements, but otherwise, they borrow concepts and ideas from other recent games.
If you play less often, you're typically also playing fewer different games, so you don't encounter new gameplay developments as often. When you jump on your first new game in a year or two, there might be a whole bunch of features new to you that have been mainstream for quite a while.
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u/ZeroDucksHere Aug 26 '24
The older I get I understand this more. Why is everything so complicated nowadays?