I won't disagree that this game doesn't form friendships but I'm not sure how you would classify it as anything but a game. I play on a soccer team in an adult soccer league. I've formed a lot of friendships through playing soccer. But it's still a game.According to the psychological studies you guys have transgressed into the casual stage of the game. You’ve suffered through burnout after being hardcore and have found a way to turn it into a casual thing for you. However just because you don’t see someone doesn’t mean you haven’t built a real friendship with them. I’ve seen where Bob and Krumz have conversations that go one for hours on end that are not related directly to the game. To say that it’s just a game is to discount human psychology and human emotion.
We've had people that met in CH get married. WoW has ruined marriages and brought single people together. People have gotten murdered over MMOs and some obsessions related to MMOs have caused the death of children.
There's no doubt that MMOs have impacted many people's lives. But they're still a game.