Each edition after 3rd just has been less and less D&D.
So, you're saying that I, a D&D player that has only ever played D&D 5e, has actually never played D&D? Because I'm pretty sure that no one appointed you to be the arbiter of who is and who isn't playing the game and what "D&D" means in the first place. My games have dungeons, they have dragons, they have Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Gnomes, Humans and plenty of other traditional races, they have the traditional classes, many of the same tropes, and even similar adventures.
D&D is not just one thing. D&D can be that one thing that you imagine it is, but you should understand that D&D is not restricted to that one idea of D&D that you have in your head, because D&D is different for everyone.
Actually, no, it's not. It's gone from PC racial stats, but it's still included in Monster Stat Blocks (post-The Wild Beyond the Witchlight and pre-Candlekeep Mysteries), is still a part of the Great Wheel Cosmology and D&D settings, and is still a part of the game. If you define "Alignment being gone" as "Alignment no longer being a part of Racial Statistics", your definition of "Alignment being gone" is wrong and closeminded.
Another sacred cow slaughtered.
And that's a bad thing? They're called "Sacred Cows" for a reason, and it's not because they're a good thing.
Creatures having completely different origins again.
I have absolutely no idea what you mean here. Some lore changes, some stays the same. That's how games work.
What's next? Dragons are brutish beasts?
In some worlds, like Theros? Sure. In the base game? Absolutely not. Have you heard of Fizban's Treasury of Dragons? It's coming out in just under 2 weeks, and is evidence contrary to your "this is the end of D&D as we know it!" doomsaying.
Vampires sparkle in sunlight?
Nope. D&D is not Twilight. If D&D was or did become Twilight, I would abandon it immediately.
Spells are now as simplistic as "Fire, Fira, and Firaga"?
Nope. You can stop with the red herrings and beyond-hyperbolic whining. They're not impressing anyone.
God I freaking hate WotC for making this game popular
Here's a trope you might want to read about:
The hipster's mantra. There's only one thing worse than people not watching your favorite show: people actually watching your favorite show. You'd think that your favorite artist making it big by reaching Stage 5 of the Fandom Life Cycle would be …
tvtropes.org
Just because something's popular, doesn't mean that it sucks.
and twisting the game around in ways where it hasn't evolved at all, it's just being metamorphosized into something grotesque.
So grotesque that millions of people love it, it's more profitable and popular than ever before, more playstyles are supported than ever before, and it's mainstream to the point that people generally won't mock you or call you satanic or evil for playing it. So "grotesque", isn't it?
Well, guess it's partially my fault. Wish I found a way to get as rich as Bezos, cause I'd buy up D&D and fix everything for sure.
And a "Could Be the Savior of D&D"-complex to top it off.
You done with the melodrama? Because I, and many others on this site, are sick and tired of hearing people whining like this. If you can kindly stop crapping on the thing that we (and millions of others) love, that would be much appreciated.
