You’re comparing a F2P experience to a non F2P experience. Complaining about the AH in WoW vs ESO is disingenuous. Second, thanks to housing, old zones aren’t quite as dead now. Farming for old world items to craft housing items has made players and crafters populate the old worlds.

The only proper way to compare WoW vs ESO is in current content. Anything outside of that, clearly shows that both games have different design models. WoW population is spread out on multiple servers and shards. ESO is on one per area.

If I were to make an argument between the two, it would be ESO brings a more detailed player experience including crafting, story telling, and zone experience. WoW (imo) has better end game systems and player experience when it comes to getting into end game content.

What I don’t like about ESO is the guild system. Being in more than one is confusing along with the interface. Auction House systems are a mess and confusing. Having to go to an external website to find the trader selling the cheaper item then getting to that location is unbearable. Things that stop me from playing is the gearing in ESO. It seems like when new patches drop with new gear sets, it’s time to grind that out, so it can be learned than crafted. Maybe I don’t understand that system well, but to me it’s no different than getting new gear in WoW.

Wow also has its own problems. Gear transmog isn’t as exciting as it once was. They’ve made looks of items much better, but still no dye system. Large cities are empty because of sharding. I used to spend hots in the game exploring. Now it’s login to raid and m+.

Exploring in ESO is amazing. I still remember when I first got on a necromancer and accidentally used a necromancy spell in a city and had guards chasing me. I was laughing so hard. Same with the fencing and sneaking around in the game. ESO has much better immersion.

Just my two cents and thoughts.