To match the other popular thread about games you “regretted because you got into them to late” - What games did you get into early and get the peak experience.
My first one is Team Fortress 2 - OG Orange Box - and I was in the beta. The early days of TF2 were absolute chaos in the best way possible. Pre hats, pre-alt weapons, just the core maps and pure fun.
My second is World of Warcraft in beta and launch (PVP server only) - All the major leveling zones were packed with players and huge PVP battles with seemed to go on forever. The old Tarren Mill PVP rumble was a madhouse. On New Years Eve 2004 (I think, maybe 2005) Horde players invaded Ironforge at the stroke of midnight on my server and killed everyone, the trading area was just full of bodies. My entire time with WoW was pre expansion pack, and anyone who was there will tell you there was nothing else like it at the time, not even close. Once Battleground came, world PVP kind of died off and that’s …