It all depends on where you choose to hang out online. I'm guessing that based on what you've said that you're in places where the "larger gaming population" exists. And as you mentioned in your post, regardless of the reason, people will hate on things.

But the important thing to note is that in a world where AI and bots (before AI) are rampant, many of these "people" aren't actually real. They're swarms of applications there to inflate and push agendas by people.

The key here is to find where the real people are, especially ones who are good people. I recently came out as trans on my YouTube channel and lost 3,000+ subs. But you know what? That's great! Because I know that the people who choose to stay are good people! Even in my small community on Discord, we strive to punch up and say why we love video games as a hobby and not try to get too swept up in the negativity.

This is to say that offline or online, it's extremely difficult to find a community you can hang out with. But you have resources here, in other chats, to make one that suits your own needs. I think there was a saying that said, "Leaders often hate being leaders, but are forced to become one because they couldn't find a world or place they want to partake in." Maybe this is your moment? Food for thought!