Let's take an old version of the article from 2011 (predates this forum and common understanding of this issue)
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flicker_(screen)&oldid=406061053
Doesn't mention PWM (still a little early), but it does mention this
Flicker is also used intentionally by developers on low-end systems to create the illusion of more objects or colors/shades than are actually possible on the system, or as a speedy way of simulating transparency. While typically thought of as a mark of older systems like 16-bit game consoles, the flicker technique continues to be used on new systems, such as the temporal dithering used to fake true color on most new LCD monitors.