With RPGs such as Copper Dreams, Archmage Rises, Realms Beyond, Stygian, The New World, Whatever Styg Inclines Next, Odd Gods and Gods only know what might one day pop out of nowhere like Realms Beyond did, my inner accountant and PnP player are more than pleased.
The issue for me and many others (not EVERYone but you should learn by the time you're 10 that you can't please everyone and thus shouldn't even try) with the stats aren't stats themselves but how they're represented and utilized. UI, smooth learning curve, effective, fun and barely noticable tutorial and clarity of mechanical systems - all these things matter. Constatly work on improving these segments of your RPG signiture and you'll get with right budget (not peanuts) and marketing (not interview on Rpg Watch) a game - RPG- with stats- a game that's RPG and has dreaded stats that will be played by millions. And no, it doesn't have to have multiplayer. And no, put down your hand Fargo, it doesn't have to be VR.
All devs learn this lesson ( Obsidian with Fallout New Vegas and POE - arguably), CD Projekt with Witcher, Larian with Divinity Original Sin but very soon afterwards suits seduce them (the owners of course usually) with the sweet talk about everyone playing your games even your aunt, millions it's gonna bring, new yacht, early access to retirement in your 40s, trucks full of hot women playing with your game and with some other stuff of yours etc... Then Decline happens (slowly, over time, like in divorces things get worse and worse, more popamoly and more popamoly) and soon you won't even be calling your game RPG on your Steam page and user tag RPG will be on 29th place behind 'memes'.
The transformation of RPG dev from Iron Tower hardcore, niche, problematic dev to Obsidian like mainly RPG, mainly balanced studio to Bethesda Game Studio Bethesda Zenimax L.L.C. Super Bowl plays our commercials happens over course of several years and several games.
And that's fine. Old needs to die so that new and fresh can emerge from it's carcass. Don't lose hope though cause Tide of Incline will reach the shores of Codexia island. Ships carrying incline in their cargo will unload it in Codexia's harbor - General RPG Discussion, it's just that Sawyer, Fargo, Toe Hoeward etc. won't captain those ships.
New generation of RPG captains are sailing the treacherous sea of Decline bringing us incline of finest quality. I for one greet them!
