I play it to rebel against popular opinion on escapist and make all the people who think it is the scourge of the industry go a little more insane. But really, it has a pop culture icon status that is widely accepted due to it's accessibility and large IP recognition making it easier to play it with people whose intrest in gaming is slim. They are willing to try out this game they keep seeing in pop culture references if they don't already own it. It is a game that is easy to know someone interested in playing or at least giving it a go.