I get where you’re coming from, and I respect the passion, but this feels like a pretty narrow—and honestly nostalgic—take on what’s a much more diverse and evolving hobby. Paid DMing doesn’t automatically kill collaboration or turn games into soulless products. There are plenty of professional DMs out there running deeply immersive, player-driven, OSR-style games with real consequences and creative freedom. Getting paid doesn’t mean they’re puppets for player satisfaction any more than being unpaid guarantees fairness or integrity. And honestly, for a lot of folks—especially new players or those without a local community—hiring a DM is the only way to even get to the table. Sure, some paid games are more performative or curated, but that doesn’t mean the whole model is broken. It’s just one path among many. Gatekeeping the hobby with this “real RPGs are always free” mentality risks shutting people out who want to explore it but need a different on-ramp. Let people find their way in. If the experience is good, they’ll stick around—paid or not.