Thank you for providing references to your data; however, it still does not change the fact that Desler pulled numbers out of their ass and did not provide any links to back up their claim.

Even with only 4.5 million subscribers paying approx. $15 per month, the gross would be $810 million per year. That alone puts their gross earning well over the stated $250-300 and does not take into account the Asian market, where if each of the stated 5.5 million subscribers bought just one points card per month it would add another approx. $240 million per year. Non of those numbers take new sales into account, which would include the core game and two expansions (for 2009).

The point? The largest MMO in history makes a lot of money before expenses and the game industry as a whole has been growing at a far faster rate than the movie industry in the last few years.
From: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/01/growth-of-gaming-in-2007-far-outpaces-movies-music.ars

Please provide links to your data. I fail to see how WoW could have possibly only grossed $250-300 million last year. Perhaps netted that little, but not grossed.

11 million accounts * $15 per month = $165 million per month (give or take a few million for long term subscription discounts)

$165 million * 12 months = $1.98 billion per year approx. gross from subscriptions alone

Add in new sales and you get an even larger number for gross.

Your assumptions of human behavior leave something to be desired. Simply because fertility clinics have the ability to screen the embryos for traits does not mean that everyone will participate. Most people around the world would not choose to, nor would they be able to afford to, use a fertility clinic. Most people will continue to have children "the old fashioned way" no matter how effective embryonic manipulation becomes. Additionally, your argument of evolution stopping completely seem backwards. Evolution selects for the highest possibility to pass ones genes on to the next generation. I would argue that embryonic selection is a form of this selection; however, not everyone believes that the same traits are favorable. Some parents would prefer blond hair, others black. Everyone has a different opinion of what "ideal" is; therefore, homogenization is unlikely and doubtful. Finally, I would say that the comparison with interbreeding is grossly exaggerated. Were it not illegal and taboo to marry ones sibling in the United States, most people would still not choose to. Again, your assumptions of behavior simply are not realistic.