I really learned something today....
It seems that Jack Emmert (Statesman) has come to the conclusion that MMO development can be player led:
http://www.seriousgamessource.com/item.php?story=11496
'Hey guys, our players are never using this part of our game, maybe we should re-develop it?'
Now, it comes as a shock to me that this even needs to be said. Surely it's something that is logical to assume from the beginning. Maybe I should be more cynical, something I don't normally have a problem with, but doesn't it make commercial sense as well as good game design for MMO's to be developed in this way?
oh well, maybe they should have just asked me to start with :)
And also notice that throughout the article above, they refer to MMO's as opposed to MMORPG's. this could be simple reductivism but I always thought that putting the label of Role-Playing Games on anything that has a character swinging a sword/is an elf/ fights a dragon/all three was a little misplaced. Perhaps a change in the air?
I doubt it.