This is a large part of why I've never gotten into MMORPGs. I find it offensive that you have to pay for the game and pay for the expansions, but you *also* have to pay monthly. I can get on board with the idea of subscription-based services with monthly fees, but then charging what amounts to an "initiation fee" at the beginning (and repeating with each piece of new content) is just rude.
The other part of why I've never gotten into MMORPGs is that I know myself well enough to know that if I allow myself to fall into one of those addiction holes, it will be very difficult to climb out. Games like Diablo and Torchlight are bad enough that way. MMORPGs are a whole other level.
WoW does not leave a lot of room for adulting.
Ignore Alien Orders
I have been PC gaming since getting my first 8086 in the early 90s. A year and a half ago, I decided to get back into flight sims. Right now, for combat sims that usual means DCS, Falcon BMS and IL-2. I own and play all 3. Although at times it feels like work - want to know how to fire that missile? That will be 20 pages worth of reading . However, I enjoy learning the avionics and procedures.
In addition to sims I also like FPS. My main criteria for an FPS is a realistic reload animation and ammo count. To that end, I think Call of Duty is at the lead. I have and occasionally play the latest COD in multiplayer.
I also have Arma 3. However, despite being billed as ultra realistic, the reloading animations are the same for both tactical and empty chamber == FAIL !
I also find Tom Clancy's The Division to be really good with animations as well as weapon variety. I completed both Divisions and still go back on occasion.
Around Thanksgiving I realized that my PC was about 4 years old and with Cyberpunk 2077 coming out, I decided to go for broke. I tracked down the parts for a Ryzen 5800/RTX 3090 build (my second choices, but they were in stock!).
I am able to run CP2077 @ 4k @ around 55-65FPS with ultra settings.
I haven't played the most recent IL-2 game, but I've played previous ones. They never felt quite right, and I could never tweak the realism settings to my liking. It seemed to have two modes: "arcade" and "way too much." And the flight model was too "turn and burn" and not enough "boom and zoom."
"The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so."
― Ennius
You can also get DCS directly from Eagle Dynamics: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/