Because it looks like this whole requirements thing is pure marketing, and studios needing to keep selling: “Look, shinier graphics that will make the previous generation of games you loved and found incredibly sharp and detailed when theé came out look mild and of bad quality now!”

This is exactly what’s happening. Its been going on for a long time, and is in some ways holding back the industry from progressing in other areas, such as new and innovative forms of actually interacting with game worlds and their narratives.

I’d personally say once 3D graphics were able to represent things without it looking abstract from too few polygons (say, around 2006 or so?), the medium could’ve slowed down the pace of graphical advancements significantly, and the industry would’ve benefited enormously.

Modern indie games that do not have AAA budgets for graphics instead have focused on unique and attractive art-styles, sometimes with retro aesthetics, and are generally able to create far more compelling experiences due to the lack of emphasis on graphics.

My family got this set off craigslist to replace an objectively better dining table set that just needed to be refinished. Tried using cushions with them, but they were still a bit uncomfortable.

Saying that, the OP set would unfortunately be quite the upgrade compared to all the MDF and engineered wood that’s so common nowadays :(