I would argue that this was true with oWoD and not just Masquerade specifically. I saw similar with nWoD but it wasn't nearly as strong.
I've got something in my brain about #ttrpg players and parasocial relationships, but I'm not in the right headspace. We've all witnessed the rise in a parasocial relationship with D&D5e alone, buoyed by Critical Role and a few key others. But that pales in the shadow of Vampire: The Masquerade.