I feel there is a cyclic wave in the industry where game quality is a focus of round three.
Enhance graphics, remove difficulty to increase monetization, renewed focus on game quality.
I also remember used beta and the early days of early access. When a constant back and forth with the community was an unwritten principle that development was based on.
Minecraft beta was a ton of fun and had a special place in my heart unti Microsoft acquired it and started to branch out a little differently than I had hoped.
I am really hoping that some aces abandoning no compete clauses will create a resurgence indie development. That where the real gameplay innovations occur anyway.
My rambling 3 cents