BBC Science Focus

PLAY THE POWER GAME

Discover a universe of unrivalled beauty, depth and opportunit­y where it’s possible to change the course of history

- When in-game politics in EVE Online cause emotions to run high, it can spark huge battles and even wars. In January 2018, one battle involved 6,142 players – and resulted in EVE being awarded a Guinness World Record for the most concurrent players simulta

Earth is just a distant memory, mankind has colonised the heavens and battles are raging throughout the stunning but dangerous, dystopian universe of New Eden. It’s a land controlled by mega-corporatio­ns and home to the most powerful class of humans that have ever lived, the immortal Capsuleers. When you play Eve Online, a free massively multiplaye­r online (MMO) spaceship yourself immersed in. If you think you know computer games, it’s time to think again. Everything that happens in Eve Online is completely player-driven. It’s the gamers who have created the history of New Eden, and the gamers who will shape its future – and there are now hundreds of thousands of them all over the world. As they compete for riches, power, glory and adventure, all of their actions will have consequenc­es, either for themselves or other players in the game.

When you start playing EVE Online, you create a character, pledging your allegiance to one of the four great empires – the devoutly religious Amarr Empire, the industriou­s Caldari State, the loyal and democratic Gallente Federation or the small but proud Minmatar Republic. Each has its own set of rules, aims and beliefs which shape how the community live, work and battle.

Stunning starscapes and nebulae, spaceports bustling with player activity and mysterious, unstable wormholes are all part of New Eden. As Eve Online players explore these vast solar systems, they pilot more than 340 different spaceships, ranging from the starter Corvette to the gargantuan Titans that lead the charge in engagement­s involving a multitude of gamers.

One of the most fascinatin­g aspects of this game is that players are free to choose their own path. Some mine asteroid belts for desirable resources that can be sold on the player market, others become traders, pirates or manufactur­ers, while others choose to focus on exploratio­n or make their mark leading

No matter what type of life players forge for themselves, they become part of a vast sandbox where it’s impossible not to come into contact with other players. That might be in high-security space, policed by the non-player CONCORD organisati­on, or in low-security space where there really are no rules!

While it’s true that one of the greatest achievemen­ts of EVE Online has been the unpreceden­ted number of players coming together to outsmart their rivals, it’s also just as much about each player’s unique experience. Since this free game was launched 15 years ago, each and every player has contribute­d to the greater tapestry – and they will all continue to shape the future of this fascinatin­g space adventure.

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