Blizzard never expected that WoW would become the fastest selling drug since the two-way tie between Krispy Kremes and cocaine—according to a recent interview with former Blizzard man Bill Roper.

You have to remember...that the most successful American MMORPG at that time was EverQuest with about 500,000 players.

He continues:

It would have been impossible to predict that World of Warcraft would take off as a cultural phenomenon as it did, but those are the kind of surprises that you like to get in life.

No, getting an extra cheeseburger in your value meal is a surprise. The situation with WoW would better be classified as a miraculous industry-crushing bolt from the heavens. Roper: 'We hoped WoW would sell a million' [cvg]