>>717696819Indies realized that the only ways to stand out as a 2D platformer were
- really high-quality pure game design, which is rare and difficult
- story, which is done better in other mediums
- genre blending (e.g. metroidvanias), at which point you're not called a true "platformer" anymore
So now 3D platformers are the new frontier, and (on paper) there's more ways to stand out given the wider availability of aesthetics and gimmicks. 3D platformer fans are also more passionate than 2D platformer fans typically.