Just when you think you know about most of the MMORPGs out there, along comes something like Argentum Online, developed on a shoestring budget in Argentina — and celebrating its sixth anniversary! It looks like they are running some sort of server test right now, but the history page describes the game as having peaked at thousands of players. It looks like it was always run for free.

There’s even an Argentum Online 2 in development, though it looks like it is still fairly early in the process.

I think it’s safe to say that the formerly difficult server technology is increasingly less so, at least for staging up a modest game. We’ve already seen exponential growth in the number of MMOs and virtual worlds out there — but once anyone can set one up with fairly little effort, how many will there be?

This is actually huge: The New York Times is going to use games as “editorial commentary” akin to cartoons. Needless to say, they chose to use Persuasive Games titles for this. Congrats, Ian!

Quite a big step for the industry. It basically renders moot the question of whether games are capable of higher expression. Now, here they are recognized by a paper of record as being just as valid as political cartoons and editorials. Maybe at some point we’ll see one up for the Pulitzer.

Definitely a step beyond the question of whether games can be art or have redeeming qualities, I think. Take that, Jack Thompson.