I think the internet being a thing and gaming no longer being a thing you did hanging out irl with irl friends and instead dome online with Randoms had led to chuds thinking the same thing I do but I think it about them, they think.it about us:

"Games used to be better when I didn’t know THEY also like games. "

I think a big part of the nostalgia is associating gaming with having fun with your pals and your pals didn’t dunk on your world view like a stranger will and they go with that. In the end I think anyone with video game nostalgia really deep down just miss when playing video games involved also being with friends irl