This Week in Gaming

• The third expansion of EverQuest II, enters the Beta phase of testing. Blackguard has the scoop at the EQII forums.
• Ironically, that is likely to be the last scoop, that Blackguard has for a while. Ryan "Blackguard" Shwayder says farewell to Sony and Everquest II.
• The Serpents Spine, the next expansion in the venerable EverQuest dynasty is now live. A truer game title was never coined...
• VGTact has a Vanguard Beta key contest for September. Do you have what it takes?
• Maybe this guy should put less blame on World of Warcraft, and more on failing at life? Please go play in a busy street, prior to contributing any more ammunition to the 'gamer addict' meme.
• Guild Wars: Nightfall is conducting a free world preview today through Sunday. Nightfall is the third expansion for the popular game title, with renewed focus on PvP in Guild Wars.
• Kotaku directed me to this, interesting story about the virtual sex trade rampant in Second Life. For my money, I'd rather slay dragons and inspire kings than grind on the man-gina, but to each their own.
• I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried, folks... MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach entered Beta this week, produced by Macena Technologies. Macena designer and Terra Nova alum, Betsy Book has the scoop, and its implications in today's pop culture madness.