If a game like COD:MW2 (2022) can have minimum sys req of 8GB, recommended 12GB and best 16GB then a game asking 32GB just cries for garbage optimization. I used the COD:MW2 specifically because this is the cream of the top when it comes to visual. I've tested it on my system that has 32GB RAM and it uses 11GB max with my OS and background apps using 4GB.

Saying that 32GB is the new baseline is just giving developers the chance to get away with crap optimization when their games doesn't look like it has half the graphic fidelity of the top end game of the time. AAA Sony games doesn't require more than 16GB of unified memory as well and they run fantastically on the system.

Let's not forget that PC also have VRAM separately. Most people have 6GB (1060, non-3GB version as per Steam) while 8GB - 12GB is also within the range of VRAM available to games. So, a dev asking 32GB of RAM is effectively asking for 32GB + 6GB at the very least which is absolutely insane.