Heh...here's one for the 'What Took You So Long' File:
CNN.com: SOE President files restraining order against customer (Via Virgin Worlds)
I'm suprised we'd not seen something like this before, given the dangerously unstable and obsessive nature of many of our bretheren. In this case though, I doubt the guy is dangerous, merely being ironic to the point of self-destructive irritation. We at Van Hemlock do not, of course, condone hunting game devs and producers down in the Real World and leaping on them naked, yelling "Give me your perfect seed!" - that kind of thing should be left to the professionals.
I can sort of see where he's coming from mind you - 'Teh Smed' is something of a vilified figure amongst the unnaturally persistent and over-tolerant SOE Customer base, regarded as being personally responsible for many of the woes of their entire stable of MMOs, SWG: NGE included. Whether he is actually to blame seems almost irellevant at this point. However, most players seem content with just grumbling about it on forums and continuing to play and pay, or quitting, as willpower dictates. I'm not sure what a game design team would have to do to a game I love, to flip my 'Heeeeeere's Vanhemlock!' Axe-Through-Door switch and make me start a religion and send them cake-spam every day, but probably a lot more than they've done so far.
I'm surprised the perp is a Planetsider though. If there was ever a game for venting excess aggression, that was it. Crazy quasi-religious cults and cake definitely fits the old school EQ1 M.O. more, I'd say. Played a bit of Planetside last night myself, finishing 2/2 K/D and about 50 Support Assists, although I was mostly on AMS resupply detail, ensureing the various base pushes across Cyssor were solidly backed up with respawning points. Just as well too, as we endured a number of fierce recapture attempts from a small, but extremely organised and highly mobile squad of Bruce Willis Clones, Yip-e-kiyay-ing out of Mosquitoes and butchering their way toward the Control Console with lethal force. My foresight saved the day a number of times however, ensuring that the dead defenders were back in position within seconds, rather than minutes, and the Rambo Patrol soon got bogged down by attrition, and rebuffed.
(Incidentally, while being stalked is a serious matter, and not fun for anyone - regardless of game production philosophy, I can't help but remember an incident not so long ago, when the aforementioned John Smedley FedExed a thousand donuts to the chaps at Penny Arcade, in retaliation for a snarky comic about him. Mmm-hm.)
Will we see copy-cats, or are we mostly too apathetic to really care? Time will tell...