I moved to Japan a few years ago. It’s a nice place to live, but the transition has been tough. When I started playing Spiral Knights last April, I wasn’t expecting much, and I kind of brought that “It’s the anonymous internet, so it’s okay to be rude” attitude with me. However, this game has a done a lot to fill the gap (cave? canyon? black hole?) in my social life, and I’ve met some really nice players. The game site has begun to feel like a relationship to a group or person. Some people have “broken up” with the game due to boredom or disappointment, kind of like they might break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Or maybe they “met someone else” in the form of another game site. Some thrill-seeking gamers just stop by for a free quickie, but let’s not press the metaphor too far. I’m in a guild (my fourth) and I hope it’s “the one for me”. I know some other players spend quite a lot of time in-game too, and maybe you feel the same way. Thank you to the Three Rings staff for making the game such a socially entertaining success.