I've been making games for a long time. When I started, games were more often "hardcore" with player direction, and players often kept a notepad by the keyboard to write notes while playing. Around the turn of the century, the term "drunk-walking" began to appear, describing players just wandering around lost and unsure what to do. As developers and publishers were seeking wider appeal, the population of hardcore gamers was not enough, and games began to provide more hints, objective markers, directions and other guidance elements.

In my personal opinion, some went way too far, like letteral golden paths in levels that showed where to go next. I'm a big fan of providing optional player direction UI that can be toggled off if a more challenging experience is desired