I've been hearing about this game for years now.It seems like it never gets old for people.Would someone care to explain whats special about this game?

For me it's for the group experience really. I love sitting in a voice chat convo with my guildies while we do some dungeons or quest or do guild related things. 

Massive world filled with quests, exploration, classes, races, professions, instances and battlegrounds.
 
The real draw for me is the group experience.
I've been playing with my cousin for 6 years now together on WoW.
Wouldn't have sticked without him probably.

hc 25 man raids with half drunken finnish people laughing our asses off at ice tomb fails <3 what else is there to say? :D

How come so many people love Heroin? 
 
I'm kidding, it's obviously a very satisfying game to play. The persistance of the online world makes it very attractive. I've never played it because I'm scared of getting addicted.

I'd say it definelty gets old for some people, but then it sticks around and changes a few things and after a while people remember why they liked it and they go back. 
 
For me, I really liked playing PallyTank, PriestHealer combo with my friend, it was never a problem to get a group together for a dungeon and if someone was being an asshole, you could just tell them to eff off. 
I also really like how the classes all feel different. I can be invisible, or I can heal, or I can fight 5 guys at once.

It's hard to explain. Everything from the massive number of quests, areas to explore, the characters, raids, design, flawless gameplay etc. So much keeps pulling me back for more but until you have actually played it, you can't really understand.

I'm surprised that alot of fans still love this game.This game must be really good, if people loved it for this long.I wonder why the developers hasn't made a sequel yet.

" I'm surprised that alot of fans still love this game.This game must be really good, if people loved it for this long.I wonder why the developers hasn't made a sequel yet. "

   @Gizmo: Thinking about it,what are some of the improvements in Cataclysm?

"    @Gizmo: Thinking about it,what are some of the improvements in Cataclysm? "

" How come so many people love Heroin?

" inb4 someone else.
 

"

" I've been hearing about this game for years now.It seems like it never gets old for people.Would someone care to explain whats special about this game? "

" @falserelic said:

" I've been hearing about this game for years now.It seems like it never gets old for people.Would someone care to explain whats special about this game? "

The game's mechanics are pretty damn good. The social aspect of the game is very good if you find a nice guild of friends to play with. "

The concept of the game, when it came out at least, was pretty new. Blizzard didn't invent MMO's but they really did define them.

The amount of content that you get for your money is unrivaled in video games. During the periods that I play World of Warcraft, I spend significantly less money during that time because I am not buying every game that comes out that I am interested in because I have a lot to do in WoW.

I played for my free month. It was fun enough. But i cant see paying 15 a month for just that one game when i can play all the games i want online for $60 a year on my xbox.

A few things help a lot.
 
They always add new content.  Every 8-10 months there's a new top end raid instance, and a re-work of the existing content to be a little easier and more accessible to the mainstream players.   Expansions add more content alone than most RPGs could dream of putting in a complete game. For example, adding to the list made above for cataclysm improvements:
 
5 completely new, and very large zones
Level cap raised from 80 to 85
A few new spells for every class along the way
Addition of new instances and raids as per every expansion

WoW has evolved.  Blizzard has enough financial backing through this game to make whatever they want, but wow is still selling subscriptions and expansions at an INSANE rate, so the need for a sequel is diminished.  They add minor refinements and major overhauls which draw old players back from time to time, like me.  They're some of the best at "easy to pickup, hard to master" gameplay.  There's always, *always* a carrot to chase for any normal player, you'll never actually do everything in the game unless you play more than is healthy.  That keeps people playing, and keeps them happy with the content available. 

It's just an impeccably designed MMO. It's packed with well-made features, it's got great environments, there's lots of content, and the way the areas, NPCs, quests, levels, and achievements are laid out it means the whole thing really hooks you and keeps the game flowing from one thing to the next. One of the smartest things WoW does though is that it subtly teaches you that to get the best out of the game you need to work with other people, and then keeps you playing by getting you caught up in a social environment.

" I'd say it definelty gets old for some people, but then it sticks around and changes a few things and after a while people remember why they liked it and they go back. 

The evolving nature of the game that as been brought up several times in this post keeps it fun. Blizzard has made some great decisions with the game and while it is still very much an MMO they have removed lot of annoying tropes that that made the genre a drag to play. It offers a lot for every type of gamer whether you're a hardcore or casual player.

" The concept of the game, when it came out at least, was pretty new. Blizzard didn't invent MMO's but they really did define them. "