I'm not saying story is a bad thing. It's not, but it seems like a lot of devs focus so heavily on coming up with an engaging story and good visuals that they forget to actually make the game fun to play.
I think about some of the games I've played over the years, and a lot of my favorites either had fairly limited or even downright absurd plots that basically boil down to an excuse to make the gameplay loop happen.
Just a random musing.
Shigeru Miyamoto liked to explore the countryside and nearby caves as a child.
Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokemon, loved to collect bugs.
What hobbies or experiences do nu-devs have that isn't just school and consume slop?
Their hobbies include:
Grooming kids
Dilate and seethe