MMOs in general

Since the interactions between MMORPG players are real, even if the environments are virtual, psychologists and sociologists are able to use MMORPGs as tools for academic research. Sherry Turkle ,
a clinical psychologist, has conducted interviews with computer users
including game-players. Turkle found that many people have expanded
their emotional range by exploring the many different roles (including
gender identities) that MMORPGs allow a person to explore.

Nick Yee
has surveyed more than 35,000 MMORPG players over the past several
years, focusing on psychological and sociological aspects of these
games. Recent findings included that 15% of players become a
guild-leader at one time or another, but most generally find the job
tough and thankless;and that players spend a considerable amount of time (often a third of
their total time investment) doing things that are external to gameplay
but part of the metagame

Many players report that the emotions they feel while playing an MMORPG
are very strong, to the extent that 8.7% of male and 23.2% of female
players in a statistical study have had an online wedding.Other researchers have found that the enjoyment of a game is directly
related to the social organization of a game, ranging from brief
encounters between players to highly organized play in structured
groups.