"Since then, and especially with the advent of Xbox Live, in-game achievement tracking has become a major factor in persistent games."

Okay, this is fast becoming annoying to me. Probably, admittedly, because I don't own, or care the least about, an X-Box 360.

Why the need to continue to push the X-Box live system as the poster child for this "game mechanism"?!

It's not really a part of any game, is it? As I understand it, it's just an overlay, or a scrapbook that you keep on the side. (Do correct me if I'm mistaken here)

Why not acknowledge a game such as Star Wars Galaxies, that's had a badge system implemented since it's launch in 2003?!

Or better yet, track down the origin of such a system. Where did we first see it, and can it be traced to the boyscouts, the military, or something else?

- Might even make for an interesting article...
But for the love of god, until persistent worlds actually have a proper place on the X-Box, why hail that, over actual mmorpg's?

Sorry for ranting.
I would actually like to see an in-depth article on badge systems, tracing it's history.