This electronic interaction is new for me so I can't say yet.

Yes

Yes. Theyve lasted many years and I have a few ongoing from 1-4 years ago. I can still talk pretty comfortably with a few from more than 10 years ago, though we havent talked in a long time and rarely do within the last few.

Yup. I made many long term friends from playing an online game. Most I never met in person. Some, I did.

Yes, my best friend became my best friend long before we met in person. We met playing EverQuest together. I miss him dearly; he died what he loved doing; hiking.

There are different types/levels of friends, 'real' is a term one must decide on an individual basis imo.

That depends on your definition of friendship and your and their expectations. But it is really a question only you can answer. If you have the feeling and you are not packing too many expectations as to the reciprocity of these friendships.

I am sorry to hear that you lost your friend .

Yes you can. It takes a connection and effort on both ends to stay in communication and reach out. This helps if either party is not too busy with work and/or kids and has time for this. My best friend lives in the USA, we have visited one another over the years. But our friendship remains long distance. I think even if we had never met, he'd still be my best friend because he has all the great values and the similar positive traits I have, that I look for in people. I have found it is harder to remain close friends with people that are struggling with health or mental health issues or with people that have a poor work-life balance, aka they work so much that they barely have down time and are too exhausted to engage with others.