Why not remove the outdated offline vs online character mechanic, and allow online characters to play offline, removing the “online game creation” issue?
All character data would still be moving back and forth, but the lift of hosting the game, listing it online, etc., would be gone.
I personally only make multiplayer characters even when soloing because I always want the option to go into an online game here and there, but most of my time played has been online but solo.
Right now, although I understand the queue in a way, it is punishing a lot of people who have invested in your product. It’s obvious that some of the older game mechanics need to be retired. This is a clear lapse in understanding your 20 year old player base, you think we’re all just sitting in mom’s basement j*rking off and eating cheetos? We have things to do and want to be able to fit in some time here and there to enjoy what we’ve invested in (again).