While people might have moved there with the intention, it isn’t more ingrained in FFXIV than elsewhere. Arguably even less, because you can run nearly everything solo, including dungeons (there are NPCs to run it with you) and the story gates everything else and revolves around the player character.
If you think of the venue scene, they might be very social but they are often very toxic in that too.
Currently there are three things that stop me from going Linux and two of those are purely software related (the third is that I don’t want to hate my work software anymore than I currently do). Is it vital software in the sense of it allowing me to work or bring me income? No. Is it something I wish to just use without fiddling after every update because I use them for fun? Absolutely yes.
I am a 90s child, so I don’t completely fit your timespan, but I remember the first PC with SuSe Linux that I built with my father from old server hardware he got from his job.
Back then his job used unix and it was pretty common in his field of work. So Linux was the natural choice for a home pc. SuSe was popular back then, I think mainly because it came on CDs and had books available.
One of the main things I remember is the hassle with network drivers, having to download them on a working pc first.
I haven’t used Linux in a decade and half (I know myself and I wouldn’t reboot once done gaming and I have one game that is not just wine or whatever and done and it’s my main one) and I still miss things from it. The first few PCs I used were Linux. It just sticks with you.
If you have to go back and forth with PSDs, GIMP falls of with layers and such. I had it happen that it basically rolls which ones to open every time on a layer heavy PSD.
The last month I have played Brighter Shores for something more relaxed (some would say brain dead when it comes to levelling skills) and
a game beta under NDA for harder stuff.
In the recent steam sale I grabbed a bunch of games, the last few days I have been sinking time into Shapez and Shapez 2. Building and optimising without cost or survival is my jam, even more than I thought.
This Friday Path of Exile 2 goes into early access and I will take at least a look at it, though likely start on Saturday.