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I may have gotten this link from /. originally but it's apropos here - Ten unmissable examples of New Games Journalism

These articles are written in a chronological, personal style that you might call Gonzo, though I'm not sure I'd call it all "journalism". My favourite is the insanely long but utterly fascinating account of an enormous heist in Eve Online, The Great Scam by Nightfreeze, which will be a hit with the Slashdotters. Any roaming Diggers will want to skip directly to the also well written Sex in Games: Rez + Vibrator.

But in the end, is this the correct journalistic voice for technology? Gonzo journalism is a very human format and that may not be interesting to read when describing technology (unless the gadget works very well or very poorly).

I was somewhat interested in the game until I read this. The bad taste in my mouth has always prevented me from picking up a copy.

For anyone remotely curious about Eve Online, this story is a must read:

http://static.circa1984.com/the-big-scam.html

From the intro:

This is a story of deception, intrigue, and doublecrossing. It is a story of liars, bandits, and greed. It is a story of the worst of the human condition, and how the motive for profit will drive a normally nice guy to the deepest depths of evil and betrayal.

This is the story of my life in Eve Online.

If you have 20 minutes to waste, this is a fun read that takes you through the author's experience with the game Eve Online. The author is a jackass for trying to pull off the scam, but the story is very engaging. I liked it, and I've never played Eve Online, let alone any othe MMORPG.

This is the same game where one of the best examples of trust betrayed in an online world can be found. The below story is well worth the read and has been cited numerous times as an example of the risk inherent in an online world.
The Big Scam

That is because the scam took place almost 2 years ago. It was in the beginning of Eve, when the first battleships were not yet made, since noone had the BPO (blue print original).

The complete story on this, by the scammer himself can be found here:
http://static.circa1984.com/the-big-scam.html

Funny you should mention griefing, since the only thing I really know about Eve is that it provided the backdrop for the greatest scam ever in a MMOG. ALso, I think something you implied but should be spelled out is that the game doesn't just emphasise PvP, but unbalanced PvP. The reason the game is unfun isn't that there's a lot of PvP, it's that the outcome of most PvP battles are predetermined based on the skills of the character and the ship they own. It may be realistic, but it's not fun.

The reason I support this is that the more value these things are allowed to have in 'real' economies the less freedom we'll have in the game. Many fun games allow players to kill, loot and steal from eachother. Other games offer opportunities for fraud and deception - all part of the game. However if a governemtn were to in any way acknowledge the value of fantasy currency then the victim of a fantasy crime might have grounds for legal action in the real-world courts. This would be lethal to one of the most precious aspects gaming - the escapism from real-life consequences.

Imagine what would happen to Nightfreeze in a world like that?

A Rape in Cyberspace

Possessing Barbie

Dreaming in an empty room: a defense of Metal Gear Solid 2

Shoot Club: Saving Private Donny

ZangbandTK: Confessions of a Dungeon Hack

The Great Scam

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Going Planetside

Red Eye #114

I had just read The Great Scam the other day and was very entertained by it's great writing style. However, from talking to EVE Online players, I (like them) have come to believe that the piece is a total fabrication. That is not Journalism, that is just creative writing. Lets call a spade a spade.

If anyone wants a look into the darker (and funny) side of Eve Online, try:

The Great Scam

It is a long read and contains some "R" rated language, but gives you an idea of what the game can be like.