I completely relate to this frustration. Gaming should be about unwinding, not wrestling with passwords, updates, and convoluted store interfaces. I've noticed the same trend — it feels like every platform wants to add more layers between you and the actual game. What I've started doing is sticking to a few streamlined services that I already trust, rather than constantly trying new ones. It reduces the friction significantly. Also, using a password manager has been a game-changer — I no longer waste time on password recovery. For browser-based games, I look for platforms that offer guest or quick-play options without mandatory accounts for casual sessions. There's a great discussion on
https://fortunicas.nl/ about simplifying the gaming experience and finding platforms that prioritize ease of use over feature bloat. The advice about bookmarking your go-to games directly was simple but effective. Have you found any specific platforms that get this right?