Don't agree with you there mate, I've seen people from all walks of life play this game, rich or poor, young or old. The reason people keep coming back is because it offers something no other game can, of course it's not the first game of its genre, as it has predecessors and successors, but no one does it like grepolis does it. This game can give you extreme highs and very extreme lows, everything matters, and its like that because you're not alone, you're playing with 20, 30, 40, 50+ people, losing a critical city can screw over your entire team, and all the money and time they put in would end up useless. Its the purest TEAM PVP game out there, and above all a social experiment, as it also shows the real side of a person, you see it in their playstyle, the way they talk to people, and their over all decision making. And all that doesn't even close to the social aspect to the game, it connects people, you share stories and experiences, that can help you grow as a person. You can meet lifelong friends, and in some cases even spouses or partners.
But as far as involving real life in the game I cant agree more, what happened on this world is disgusting and vile, and everyone involved should feel ashamed.
In the end i will always happily look back on my memories here, and i truly do believe that this is one of the best games ever made, a true gem, that's why it always saddens me when i see Inno making bad decision after bad decision and completely ruining this once amazing game, milking it out for its last dime, like a cow that's gonna be put to pasture.
Oh well..