To nest is human, from your locker in high school, your studio apartment in college and a home of your own later on. It only makes sense that gamers prefer personal space in games, too, such as the houses in Ultima and The Realm, and guildhalls in other games.

I know some players who were in an online guild who built an entire compound of houses on a lovely peninsula. They built their own neighborhood with houses, trade shops and even a barn where they stored their horses. Their boats were docked in the water below their houses and they even had a town hall. And they "lived" there for many hours a day.

Other guilds on other games had massive guild halls where they could store items, hold meetings, and hang out over virtual brews.

Of course, the houses and the guildhalls were under constant hack attack, but that's another story.

The chest in Diablo II is a nice touch for keeping items safe, but gamers are essentially "living" in the game space during play and they want a real space to call their own. It gives them security from the harsh world of demons and monsters. It gives them a sense of game ownership, and it gives them something to decorate.

And while you're at it, purchasable pets would be a nice touch, too.