About gameplay vs graphics

Hi! I've been thinking about this topic for some time. Now im 26, and i remember the awesome drive and emotions from playing games on my dandy console. Those games now seem to me the pure game experience there was. Now, considering their graphics, there could be only one explanation : gameplay.

I feel like today's games are so much centered on making profit, that they ditch the gameplay design process in favor of game implementation - fancy graphics, sounds. But what is a good implementation without proper design? Games are meant to be enjoyed not because of their stunning graphics, but because of the gameplay.

Thinking of games that were very successful, like for example Minecraft. Graphics is as simple as it could be. The game is all about interesting gameplay, new concepts.