As such, he was apparently a little bit of a controversial figure to the Entropia players — a spokesperson and a figurehead known as something of a loose cannon, drawing attention as much for his showboating as for his genuine pioneership, his futurist’s view of virtual reality and the concept of the self in a game world.

You might be able to tell that I didn’t really know how to think about it, since I kind of just tossed up that press release for you to discuss. My coverage of Entropia for Worlds in Motion, back when I ran that site and its GDC summit a few years ago (it now exists as the ‘social and online’ section of Gamasutra) was fairly business-oriented, wherein I explored the game as a product in a sea of virtual worlds, which if you recall was the big bubble before mobile and social gaming descended on us all.

Finally, the article I wished I could have written if I’d had the ability back then; hell, the one I wished anyone could have written so that I could read it! Stephen Totilo found the press release here at SVGL and, in what’s probably the best piece of games-related journalism I’ve read all year, he spends time with Neverdie, talks to him about how his intense approach to virtually memorializing his fiancée after her death from illness — along with his bold stunts — brought him into conflict with his fellow players, and, most interestingly, provokes thought on the concepts of virtual self and virtual life through the views of a very unique individual.

It’s a fair portrayal of an interesting cast of characters and a fascinating must-read. Long, but worth your time.