Not this bad. Yes I concede that there was no perfect community and assholes existed from the beginning. But this is a totally different tiny dick syndrome that has infected even the most loyal and good mannered players to be nothing but cunts because they got tunnel vision greed and that's all that matters now.
You're right the concept is not new. Similar to how a common cold isn't rare until enough people get infected to call it a pandemic. This is a pandemic of douchebag players showing their true colors.
Here’s an anecdotal claim.
Chant games in legacy, always at least 1 pk clown every game.
D2r since season 1, I’ve encountered 1 total and that wasn’t even on HC.
It’s the same douchcicles who made nova sorcs to pest games, they just use warlocks now