5 reasons why 'World of Warcraft' is so popular

"World of Warcraft" has made a genuine cultural impact since its launch in 2004, inspiring everything from a "South Park" episode to the recently-released Hollywood movie adaptation. But there are still countless people who have never played the smash-hit online game.

With its next expansion, "World of Warcraft: Legion," set to launch on August 30, you might be wondering: should I jump in? What's so great about this game that people have been playing for 12 years?

Here are just a few of the reasons why "World of Warcraft" is so huge: