Maybe I can shine some light on the appeal.

Mixtape looks great to me and I’m not even from the US so it’s not a very relatable setting. However I like walking Sims and designed to be experienced. Sort of living through a slice of something different. An interactive experience.

Sims: like it’s grandfather little computer people. Just for watching, messing with. Maybe leave running on the side. I personally never got much out of it but can understand the appeal. Would rather leave “progress quest” running.

Mmorpgs were a great experience. When they were smaller it was similar to a pen and paper session with likeminded people. Now it’s more of an action multi-player game for mass appeal. Sigh. Seems more people like grinding to be able to grind even more over an rpg experience together.

Idle. To do something and yet nothing and still demand nothing of you. A friend has several hundred hours in tap ninja. Mind-boggling but still has its audience.

I think most of it is just circling around the definition of a game. I’d recommend getting off that thought since it can easily lead to gatekeeping. Yet there are games (especially mobile, ugh) that I despise but still, it’s gaming, theyre gamers. Just because it’s not my game or one that I like or see it as a game does not change that it is to someone else.