> that the shared playerbase is half the fun,

unironically I think this is the next frontier. If "other players" constitute part of the experience, how do you create/attract/curate a "quality" playerbase?

Totally agree, what I observed with the shift to matchmaking was the removal of communities and shared sportsmanship (and moderation). Replaced by matchmaking, game providers are constantly chasing the technological challenge of removing bad actors from the pool. But we are already very good at that as a species, if they gave us control of making communities within online services again we'd solve that problem for them right away.

You see it with things like Counter-strike and private servers. Sim racing and leagues/discord servers etc.

It's kind of amusing how allergic permadeath MMOs are to quality player bases.

Create karma system that follows you from game to game, tied to government ID, and if you’re not a good gamer, people just won’t play with you and you’re shunned.