Years ago, I helped run / code a community fan based website called TMX.
This was based around a PC driving called Trackmania by a french company called Nadeo.
The game allowed players to create driving tracks and save replays to the tracks.
Doesn't sound like much does it, but giving players a creative outlet of making and sharing tracks meant that a whole community kept the game going for a very long time,
and in fact it is still going more than 15 years on. Some of the tracks taking teams of people MONTHS to complete.
The TMX community turned into a major force behind the game's success and longevity, eventually being bought by activision.
At the time I helped run a competition that made a new campaign of tracks go into the main game.
Do not underestimate the force and will of the people creating their own stuff.
For the younger people that have no idea what I'm taling about I'll just say "Garry's Mod".
Just look at BGG, a lot of serious time spent creating all sorts of stuff about board games all within the crapiest website design you've ever seen.
And if I have to convince you about commitment of developers then........
Tabletop Simulator anyone?
2018. Internet. BoardGames. CreatingStuff.
- Am I in the wrong place?