The most important element to MMO development and maintenance is also an integral component for comedic exploits -- timing. Here's a sterling example of bad timing: Noted spaceman Richard Garriott/Lord British's overwhelmingly unpopular Tabula Rasa, which has about two weeks left before its servers shut down, just released a patch adding "mech suits" which are available for all classes. It sounds like a neat feature -- one that might have attracted some much-needed attention to the game before it nestled soundly into its death bed.
If you've been intrigued by Tabula Rasa, but couldn't be hassled to, you know, purchase it, it's free to play now. Just don't get too attached -- the game's servers are going down on February 28, at which point Garriott's final project with NCSoft will have an ironic, though extremely appropriate moniker.