Message:The hobby that we played / play didn't go away.
There are still miniature war gamers and pen and pencil RPG'ers, board gamers, and Hex Wargamers and people that get math, history, and complicated stuff.
It's the same small number of people as it ever was.
There's just the extra group of people who like something different that also call themselves gamers. The confusion is that they either aren't capable or aren't interested in the same things. No shame there. More power to them.
Companies aren't the problem. They make a product to sell (generally speaking). If someone will bother to spend money to dye their hair or buy marvel Universe T-shirts, they will likely buy anything. Your marketeer will tell you to attract that person.
Some enterprises are just doing what they once did. The trick is to distinguish between the various flavors.
The rules that are D&D 5E aren't the problem ... a serious gamer could easily make them interesting. But, in the cosplayer's hands, best to walk away quietly. If that's fun for them, rock on (distant) brother and sisters.
The Grognards are still out there buying the same stuff as ever. You just can't fund a corporate giant with those dollars. Unless they make a better copy of Chainmail, I'm not buying it again.
(The plastic mass produced miniatures are pretty nice to be honest ... For a few bucks you get a solid set of miniatures that are durable and plentiful. Not if they could just do Wagram.)
Yours,
IronConrad
15-Apr-2021