I’d add on that the expectation in an individualist society like the US is to become independent and move out. Those ideas are used synonymously in a lot of contexts. Someone who hasn’t moved out can be seen as lacking independence. Of course that isn’t necessarily true, but it’s the perception.

For a young person growing up with these ideas as the standard, there can be a certain safety in forgoing that independence. That was my situation for years, where I was financially independent, but moved back home after my roommates moved away. I was in my mid twenties before I moved out for good.

That’s even better than what the article said, great news!

For 30 minutes, but yeah. Still very exciting!

Cool, so I’ll wait to pick this game up until it’s $10 on a steam sale in 5 years, and play the community’s modded version.

The old adage is relevant here:

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

So, is “immersive sim” just a vaguely plot-driven game in a setting with good world building?

Pointing to a franchise that has been incredibly stale and unimaginative for years now and using that to condemn video games as a whole is pretty misguided, I think.

My favorite example of the reverse in recent memory has been Wizards of the Coast essentially going back completely and then some on their unpopular OGL changes after a significant portion of their DnD Beyond members canceled their subscriptions.