farbot.com

EVE Online's been getting more coverage over at Massively in recent months and while I'm not a subscriber I've been keeping tabs on things. Aside from CCP's home country of Iceland basically going bankrupt amidst this global economic maelstrom, CCP's flagship game has been showing a clear pattern of growth and improvement. The best part of all of this growth is that it's being provided at no extra charge to their thriving user base. All expansions to EVE Online are granted free to all players of the game.

Just how has EVE Online grown recently? Back in June the addition of faction warfare made a big splash with The Empyrean Age expansion. This week the revamp of industry and many of its ships occurs with Quantum Rise on November 11th. What's coming next? Another expansion is coming in March 2009 which will apparently knock down of the back wall of the starship showrooms with the implementation of Tech 3 ships. A new Tech level hasn't appeared since Tech 2 ships showed up in 2004. That doesn't cover the highly ambitous "Walking In Stations" initiative that will bring 3D avatars to the game and is apparently still a ways off from having a release date.

All of this adds up to a truly evolving and growing game willing to bring every last player along for the ride. I can't help but think this keeps them competitive in a tighter and tighter MMO market, and as someone who likes the game but hasn't subscribed yet (and may not until our teensy little world economic problems subside), it definitely makes it more alluring. What do you think?

See also:
Quantum Rise release notes
Tech 3 Coming in March Expansion

From Aeropause.