We guess there is a cycle that applies to every single MMO title out there: The game is released initially and fans dig it. After some time, the developer implements updates that he believes is for the good of the game. The players, on the other hand, have already become accustomed to the original settings. When the changes are applied, they cry "foul." But the changes are put in place anyway and virtual life goes on.

So, we won't be surprised if fans of Entropia Universe will do the same after they've tested the newly implemented Content List Version Update 8.8 by developer MindArk. After all, residents of Planet Calypso have had a reputation and history of militancy in the past. But as we've mentioned, everything did not end there. If anything, Entropia Universe has moved on.

Among the many changes included in VU 8.8, probably the most glaring are the ones done to Skills and Professions. All avatar attributes will now start at 1 point, instead of the previous 20 points. Team Settings was also changed. Stackable Items can now be split between team members based on the damage inflicted by each member.

There are also changes related to the upcoming Holiday season. Accordingly, several shopping malls and holiday gifts have been activated and were made available all through out Entropia. Anyway, there are a lot of changes to talk about. Why don't you just click on the read link to know all about them? After that, come back here and tell us what you think.

To tell you the truth, it's been a while since we paid Entropia Universe a visit. The last time we were there, residents of Planet Calypso were threatening to stage a mass protest regarding certain updates they didn't approve of. Actually, the same thing is happening right now inside the realities of MMO Second Life due to the proliferation of an import/export tool.

Anyway, it seems that things are quite straightened out already for Entropia as developer-publisher, MindArk, just announced a contest for its residents. "We've decided to start the Entropia Universe Video Competition. This will be a long running competition based on participant created videos from the Entropia Universe," stated the company on the game's official site.

Accordingly, any active user can participate in the said competition by uploading their stuff to YouTube. Videos should begin with the title "Entropia Universe01:" then followed by the user's original title. Also, avatars should be added either in the "From" field or in the description.

MindArk will then have a look every three months at the submitted videos to find out which one has the most views. For the first round of the competition, the topic is fun. Try to go for how fun it is to be in Entropia, or residents having fun (not a mass protest), or if you have other ideas, so much the better. The first winner will be announced on March 1, 2007 and will receive a "unique item."

As of now, the game has more than 500,000 registered participants from over 220 countries. So we are expecting a wide array of fun, funny, and happy videos to come Entropia's way very soon.

The recent turn of events at Entropia Universe is surprising to say the least. Just one week ago, we had this article detailing the various updates done to Project Entropia including the addition of AGEIA's PhysX engine. Today, residents of Planet Calypso threaten to stage a mass protest to express disappointment over these "updates."

Marco (aka AlphaGeek) is calling everyone - and he means everyone - to once again wear their Standard Issue colonist uniforms and storm (peacefully though) the Imperial Government through Mr. Berman, Trob Tedser, or any other Government agent.

Accordingly, the updates has left players frustrated, unable to even to do the basics of running/walking properly. Furthermore, Marco added that these protests were already lodged in public to their government. To their dismay, people in power had deftly dodged the the complaints.

All ubers and noobs who feel the same sentiments are requested to attend. The mass protest is scheduled on Saturday, September 30 from 08:00 local time to 23:59 Calypso time.

Almost a year after opening the virtual resort Club NEVERDIE, champion gamer-turned-entrepreneur Jon Jacobs is back to gladly report on the success of his business venture.

According to Jacobs, his virtual resort raked in a gross of $100,000 USD in the first eight months of operation alone. "It's a tremendous vindication to reach the break-even mark so fast; very few people really believed a turnkey virtual business inside an MMORPG could do these kind of numbers, but the dynamic real cash economy in Entropia Universe is extremely conducive for operating a business or developing a trade; however, once you have the tools or skills it's really up to the individual to serve the community and develop the business. It's definitely work, but since it exists within a Video Game style world, I'm in my element," says Neverdie.

Having a virtual net worth at an estimated $1 million plus, Jon NEVERDIE Jacobs is unsurprisingly one of the most high-profile Entropia citizens for over three years. Entropia Universe is the only virtual gaming community that actively supports sales of virtual products with actual cash value within its real economy system. The economy offers the user a secure and safe way to make purchases, sales, and exchange real life currency into PED (Project Entropia Dollars) and back again into real money via the real world ATM system, at a fixed exchange rate to the US dollar. The Entropia Universe turnover back in 2005 was an estimated $165,000,000 US.

Club NEVERDIE is located within the Entropia Universe and is a registered trademark of Jon Jacobs. You can visit it via spaceship from the planet calypso or new accounts can be spawned directly at the resort by downloading the Entropia Universe client.