I think this is one of the biggest myths and confusions with MMORPG.
Everquest was one of the few MMORPG that was generally unfriendly to solo play. Solo play does not mean that the game is anti social. UO was highly soloable but had a huge community aspect because it's gameplay allowed it to be. It just means that in combat you can solo.
Single player style of gameplay is just that. A game that plays like a single player game in a MMORPG. Community features take a back seat. A lot instances, save the world player story and phasing to give the player his own unique isolated experience in an MMORPG.
I personally feel that your point (which im not sure I really get) is undermined by the fact that most MMOs are designed using single-player mechanics - levels, linear story, vertical progression, loot etc.
Then, throwing this quote out there: "grouping doesn't encourage socialising, it encourages teamwork".
In other words, solo vs group is almost entirely unrelated to whether the game is social or not.
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