I think one of the best reasons I still play City of Heroes (and Villains) is because of the people. Which is funny because the reason I’ve left other MMOs is because of the people. I’ve been playing for nearly five years now and still, I’m surprised and entertained by the humor and creativity displayed by the players of the City of games.
Most of it is due to the setting.
Which is Rhode Island.
Of course, since this is a video game, it happens to be the nexus for all sorts of super powered things happening in the entire world. As a consequence of that setting, anything goes. Anything from a knight errant magically transported through time, to a gritty streetwise martial artist that fights crime with his bare hands is fair play in the City of Heroes, and the developers wisely gave you a convenient location for you to put all the juicy details of your heroic or villainous background for other players to read.
Most people (at least in my experience) seem to be older, and it’s many a mission interrupted by a quick chat message, “AFK, putting the kids to bed.” or its like.
Besides, in what other game could I run into “G. Gordon Liddy” and “Neal Patrick Harris?”
Both Villains, of course.