Untrue. Not many places allow discussing how ESRB rating is changing gaming and media from the ground up. Not many places allow true dissention since arguing is usually discouraged. Most forums nowadays enforce precisely what you want, the codex is (was?) the exception.
I'm talking about culture war BS, which is seeping into topics even outside of GD. Some of it gets removed, most doesn't.
I fail to see what an ESRB discussion about rating labels would have to do with people obsessing over some user because of what is (or isn't) between their legs or the first few posts under a game announcement asking just how "woke" a particular game is, since it features a female person or whatever, or a lengthy and entirely unnecessary discussion starting about a game that deviates from a classic male/female selection by offering another option, etc.
All those things are happening here very regularly, and all of them are being brought to us by the same people - no, I would definitely not miss them.
Most forums I know do not enforce what I want, they actually enforce the exact opposite - political BS is allowed, even desired and encouraged, but only if you agree with the administration. REeeeera or RPG.net would be prime examples of that.
This place, by sticking to the idea of "all sides allowed" has attracted pretty much only people trying to argue one side - not by its own fault, but because that side is banned in most other bigger gaming forums.
It's become a refuge for that kind of discussion and that kind of person.
Like now people being part of the staff that have nothing better to do than pseudo-doxing and harassing/shaming (or trying to) users for no reason other than they don't like em.
The point is the cut won't be as clean as you think. You must realize that your opinion, as legit as it may be, is contrary to the the spirit of this place? You call it a gaming forum, that's not wrong but denying this place history and notoriety is completely disingeneous. Some of the best posters here, those with an encyclopedic knoweledge of their favoured niche, are here precisely because of the loose moderation rules.
A loose moderation applied to not having to butter up your words and being allowed to sling some insults around and give devs an honest, unfiltered opinion is one thing - and totally fine, can make for way more amusing banter.
A loose moderation that just doesn't give a fuck, allows gaming topics to be endlessly derailed into culture war stuff just so a few people can virtue signal to their peers, allows personal vendettas to be had in public topics, etc.? Just pushes people away who want to discuss games without that kind of BS.
I don't give a rat's ass about the encyclopedic knowledge of assholes dragging their politics into everything.
You're sure the half remaining would be worth interacting with? Because I know a number of educated good posters that would simply leave.
I'm not sure, no.
But I do not see how it could be any worse than it is now.
Would definitely be worth the experiment to me.