> for people in creative/tech professions where fun stuff / offsites / happy hours were the norm?

I was one of those people, and I declined every invitation to mandatory fun, offsites, and happy hours. I was there to work, to do the job and get paid, and I wasn't getting paid to do extracurriculars. I left that bullshit behind when I graduated from high school.

> Remote is such a massive downgrade in that case.

Speak for yourself. Remote work has been an upgrade for me.