28 Jun, 2011
Recently a leaked internet document revealed that CCP plans to make microtransactions a part of the EVE universe, with players paying real money for items that could possibly give them in-game advantages. Not only that, but vanity items for avatars have been revealed to be quite expensive. This resulted in an outcry from the EVE community. The player-occupied Council of Stellar Management will be meeting on the 1st of July to discuss the issue with CCP.
It hasn’t ended there however, as a recent list has been published with the names of over 5000 players who intend to cancel their subscriptions in protest. If they follow through, this could cost the developer over a million dollars in lost revenue.
I find myself split over situations like this; on the one hand I do agree that having to pay money for vanity items is something of a waste, and would like the option to at least earn them in-game. On the other, I understand that CCP is a business. Yes they like making games, but they also want to make a profit. And as other such ventures have shown, microtransactions make a shed-ton of money. Money that could be invested in new games, or to further develop the EVE Online experience.
For the sake of player satisfaction and the future of CCP, I hope a middle-ground can be reached on July 1st.
Via Eurogamer.com.
The problem is, you can earn these items in-game. They’re already available on the market for in-game currency, just like PLEX’es.