I am a bit of an avoidant introvert. I hate being out in crouds. I hate having to deal with people in person. I don't like speaking. But I do like talking online. I like hanging out with people... online. In games or VRchat or chatrooms or forums.

The only real difference I can see why this might be is the expected behaviour and etiquette. IRL, it would be rude as fuck if a random person just joined a conversation you and your friends were having at a restaurant or something. It would be rude to not engage at all if you were invited to a party.

But online it's totally different. It's not rude to just join an ongoing conversation between strangers. It's not rude to lurk. I can get as much or as little social interaction I need, at my own pace, take part in conversations I want to and only read others I don't have anything to add but still may be interested in.