To quote Charles Dickens (loosely): "It is the best of times, it is the worst of times".
Best of times:
- we have access to almost all great games of the last 50 years
- we can play them as close to the original as possible (if we want to), f.e. on original hardware or on FPGA-based hardware like the "Analogue 3D"
- we can play many of them now with better graphics (higher resolution, better antialiasing, texture-upgrade, better post-processing, added HDR, added raytracing...) thanks to faster PCs, PC-mods, Remasters, Remakes, Xbox "X-Enhancements", PS-Pro enhancements...
- we can play many of them now with better performance (higher framerates, better frametimes, frame generation...) thanks to faster PCs, Remasters, Remakes, Xbox "fps- Boost", PS-Pro boost...
- we can play them on bigger and better displays (huge 4K TVs, OLED, HDR...)
- we can play many games, which were only playable on stationary systems now "on the go" (Switch versions, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, iOS and Android ports...)
- we can play hundred of "official" VR games and thousands of games with VR-mods (f.e. UEVR)
Worst of times:
- development time gets longer and longer (f.e. GTA, Elder Scrolls, Naughty Dog's output)
- most new releases aren't finished on release day, early buyers are beta testers
- less hardware optimization for most new releases
- higher prices for new releases
- many of us have less time to play games (work, family...)
