@bedirthan@Tim_Eagon@dragoncrown Hmm, I'm going to take an alternate position - I feel you are drawing a false distinction. Character generation is part of play - it's not a separate activity.
That being said, I do think ones enjoyment of character generation as play is dependent on where one falls on the simulationist to narrative axis of TTRPGs. Which is going to be different for everyone.
Of for one person within genres (Superheroes vs Fantasy for me).