EVE Online Interview: Learning Lessons In The Aftermath Of World War Bee 2

EVE Online’s in-game conflicts aren’t just contained to an NPC story or the backdrop of the universe. Players themselves have shaped the course of the fictional universe through its many wars over the course of its almost two-decade history. However, none were as destructive as the recent World War Bee 2 war which raged for just over a year.


The war itself might be over, but the aftermath and lessons to be learned is still ongoing. Players on the Imperium side, most notably the massive Goonswarm Federation, began planning a Reconquista of their home systems of Delve while PAPI, the massive alliance that was bent on forcing Goonswarm from the sci-fi MMO, were in the throes of undocking their Keepstars and trying to evacuate the systems.

It’s an interesting turn of events too if you haven’t been following super closely as well. For many, their experience with EVE Online starts and stops with the article and videos many sites and creators make talking about the epic exploits of individual characters or even a massive battle. However, on the granular level, wars in EVE function much like they do in real life – just without the same level of stakes, obviously.

There are logistics chains, supply routes to maintain, asset creation and deployment, and much more. Fleet Commanders are coordinating efforts with thousands of real-life players to all attack a single objective, or organize a defense, or even figure out how to finance the next phase of combat. Both sides influence the public opinion within the EVE playerbase with well-crafted and deployed propaganda. EVE Online players take alliance warfare seriously, and the struggle between The Imperium, PAPI and their alliance corporations for the last 13 months is a clear sign to the gaming world of that.

Some of the blame has been sent CCP Games’ way since the war “ended” in an apparent Imperium victory, with many on PAPI’s side blaming economic changes, specifically new taxation changes, as to why financing the war was no longer possible. Goonswarm players on Reddit maintain that those same changes were also affecting their side of the alliance with no ill effect, meanwhile CCP Games is simply used to being the source of contention when things like this happen in game.