Thats really interesting! I've never heard of DAOC and Anarchy Online, those must have been pre 2000s? Wow's user base is pretty large, despite the ongoing fees that must be paid in order to play beyond buying the game. However, I do think there is a very dedicated player base, regarding class identity, lore and and the game itself. I do agree with you about the social aspect, it can be quite damaging. On the other hand, you can also make some really good friends in the game! If you've never played but would like to give it a try you can play for free up to lvl 20, beyond that you have to be paying for the subscription. It's nice because you can try out the different classes to see what you prefer to play.