Maybe it's just me, but I like the style it's presented in, and I have major adblockers in service so I'm not sure how it's a drug fueled hellscape. It basically becomes a normal NYT article after a half-page of scrolling. Not all their readers are familiar with these games, so the NYT is doing its diligence by trying to show what they're talking about, so their readers have a frame of reference. (Remember the NYT is actually aimed at an investor class who owns a second house in the Hamptons and may not be gamers at all. Go look at their Lifestyle section sometime.)

I think it's fine but I guess I'm in the minority, but also maybe it's less worse for me because of uBlock/Pihole/Bypass Paywalls Clean.