EVE Online is Going Free-to-Play in November

By Cameron Wade | August 31, 2016 | 11:58am

Images via CCP Games

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EVE Online, the notoriously complex space/capitalism MMO, is introducing free-to-play accounts this November.

In an in-depth and detailed blog post, the EVE Online team introduced the concept of Alpha and Omega Clone States. Essentially, Alpha Clones are free-to-play accounts and Omega Clones are subscription accounts. Accounts in an Alpha state will have limited access to ships and skills, as well as having skills train at a reduced rate. Accounts in the Omega state will operate like they have for the last 13 years of EVE Online’s existence.

Addressing the issue of how the free-to-play accounts will affect the game’s incredibly complex economy, the team said, “By specifically selecting skills in this way, we can ensure that the EVE ecosystem and the value of Omega state are both protected, while still providing a wide-ranging, exciting EVE experience for Alphas.”

The blog post goes into an amazing amount of detail addressing scenarios like what happens if someone logs into an Alpha account that was left piloting a now Omega-exclusive ship. In these types of situations, the team is “going to be very hands-off. We won’t be moving ships around or canceling your jobs and orders.”

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EVE Online has gained an infamous reputation for the scale and depth of its in-game economy and mechanics (this is the game that has its own history book), so it’ll be interesting to see how a wider audience reacts to it. Are there many players out there who wanted to try a menu-heavy, complex space sim but were deterred by a monthly subscription? Will a host of new players with nothing invested in the world and economy be able to affect it in any major way? How will EVE’s dedicated fan base react to the newcomers?

The story of EVE Online often draws the gaming world’s attention, even for those who have never played it (like that time 7,500 players fought in a battle with more than $300,000 in in-game damages), and this dramatic new change will almost certainly do the same. The video below discusses the new Clone States and the changes coming to EVE Online.