This is an incredible post. You've said a lot of things that many of us are thinking. Splinterlands doesnt feel like a game anymore. I wouldn't call that old school. I keep having this question go through my head over and over. You've captured it perfectly here.
"When is a game not a game anymore?"
"When the ONLY way to win is to NOT play"
💀
Completely, because it drives real players away. I think that's a hard thing to actually pin down so it gets overlooked. But yes, the fact that a handful of folks we don't know and who put no skin in the game and who (at most) post a random gif on discord once in while, take all the prize money in modern every single season. It's demoralizing and why I went back to using a bot. Sad but true. I'd rather spend time writing on hive! Although could never be as epic as you 💪