Reading the most recent issue of , I was reminded of a time before there was anything more than basically Ultima Online and EverQuest. Sure, for the most part all we have today is several different takes on those original games. But we've also had Auto Assault, Tabula Rasa, EVE Online, Anarchy Online, City of Heroes, and so many others that stepped outside the bounds of High Fantasy.

As an industry, videogames evolve slowly. This is obviously also true for our MMOGs. But I, for one, think they've already come a long way since they started being more than a blip on the radar. World of Warcraft has thrusted the MMOG into the collective consciousness of both gamer and businessman alike, and the future's looking bright.

Maybe I'm a little too optimistic, but I see Jumpgate, Fallen Earth, Champions, Free Realms, The Agency, DC Universe... and I say to myself "Man, it's a good time to be a fan of these games."