TTRPGs aren't much of a hobby of mine these days, but there was a time when they were my favorite way to spend my free time. Right around the time the revised 3E rules were released, I was running games three nights a week, and playing in them three of the remaining four. It wasn't just D&D/d20- we played or ran a wide variety of systems. Now I'm lucky if I run one game a month, and I play even less than that. What changed, I wonder?
When I think on it, a combination of factors are probably responsible.
- My preferred style of skill-heavy gameplay is not so popular.
- I also enjoy complex, tactical gameplay but the more popular systems don't satisfy this for me. I'm less interested in looting the proper magic item for my 'build' or (🤮) buying magic items from a 'shoppe'.
- My favorite system - 2000 3E d20 - is practically forgotten; the revised edition, Pathfinder, and later D&D editions have pushed it into obscurity. Guidelines for skills, feats, and the like have been replaced by immutable lists in a plethora of books. Instead of encouraging referees to create their own worlds and games, they are instead guided to using 'official' settings and adventures.
- Probably the biggest reason is that I just don't have the circle of friends any more who like to play the same sorts of games.

It probably sounds like sour grapes, and I suppose it is. I just miss my old gaming days sometimes.
☹️