The first MMO that can maintain, throughout the length of its levelling curve, the joy, excitement, wonder and unadulterated fun found in those first ten levels of today’s MMOs, will dominate the market forever.

And it will probably also destabilise the world economy as the entire planetary workforce pulls a year-long skive. If that starts to happen I can only recommend one thing: shares in a major blog or forum hosting company. For if there’s one truism in MMO life, it’s that players will always need a place to pontificate.