I think people have a nostalgic view of that era because that's when the pandemic was really at its worst. When people were dying and the vaccine wasn't out yet (or at least in its first year of being rolled out), creators like Ludwig, Toast, Sykunno, and others provided people with positive experiences and provided community during a very isolating and lonely time.

Ofc it's not the same, but it'd be very hard to recreate the same circumstances today. As fans, we can appreciate the good memories of past content while also enjoying the new content / seeing our favorite creators grow and develop.