As a former Wikipedia admin, I think the best way to think of it as a massive text-focused battle MMORPG that happens to produce an encyclopedia as a side effect.

Yep, the encyclopedia is the not-so-wasteful "proof of work" part of the MMORPG. It's a game, but you grind it by working on generally useful stuff.

Haha and with battles in the form of massive flame wars?