I wouldn't really call it a "trap". If you're buying a console when it's new at full price, sure, you're being taken for a ride, but give it a couple of years for stuff to be cheaper and it can work out reasonably well.
I used to be a major PC gamer but eventually the cost/benefit calculation went completely off the rails.
That said, I've not upgraded to the current console generation because I'm still waiting on something to justify it.
I don't think any of these nutters have experienced the things they rail against. I'm not in the US, but from where I'm standing you guys haven't had any of that stuff since before Reagan.
I've noticed that. My instance doesn't provide unlimited storage and I'd much rather crop and resize my pictures before upload. Not having tools for that is a bit of a deal breaker for me.
Of course, I could edit the images separately but it rather limits what I can be bothered to post as a result.
I wish there was an option for "I'm in the UK - we don't use SMS/RCS anymore". Every time I open the text app it acts as if it's Signal/WhatsApp and I'm suddenly going to start texting people like it's 2003. I just want the 2FA pass code that was sent, you weirdos.
There are many things I'd spend more on, but gaming is something that I can spend a lot of hours on without necessarily enjoying. As in, the experiences are often weirdly compulsive and before I know it I've tanked eighty hours without really enjoying it all that much.
I collected all the submarine collectibles in GTA V - do I think that was more fun than a party with friends? Absolutely not. Did it take more time? Most definitely.
Now I want to have a go at making a goth lasagne.