is PvP in eveonline causing CCP to lose customers?

Is PvP causing CCP to lose customers?

At the recent fan fest in Iceland, there were some interesting developments. New ideas in the game and the presentation of an uncontrolled CSM. More though, was the perception of a game changing  seed, a change that will affect all Eve-Online players, some more than others. PvP can happen anywhere in Eve-online, players know it can occur anywhere and at anytime.

As long as the aggressor gains in some way from the action of PvP, then CCP let it happen. It is a part of the rich experience of playing Eve. When a pvp player takes on a non-pvp player, sometimes called a 'Care-bear', and turns that pvp into harassment, or greifing, it is no longer acceptable to CCP.

An emerging trend is for some PvP players, to believe they have a right, to constantly pick on new players, forcing them into a very one sided pvp action, until the new player, with mounting losses, gives up. He leaves the game and never comes back. That is for the hardened pvp player, a win situation, having forced yet another care bear to leave the game, stops paying monthly subs and never shows up again.

I feel bad for the new player, he probably was enjoying the game, mining and or missioning, maybe had a second account to assist mining, or grabbing the mission spoils. The fact remains, the losses caused by unwanted pvp, made the game untenable for him and caused him to leave.

I think CCP will see this activity as PVP versus CCP directly. If CCP start losing customers, and that customer loss is attributable to a group of players within the game, CCP are going to look at that group of players and take steps to reduce the loss of players and their subscriptions.

Don't get me wrong, but CCP use the Eve-Online game as a vehicle for Income Generation, it is their primary concern.

Players paying their way with in-game currency are I imagine financially less attractive than players paying their subs with new money. CCP needs new players to like the game, to stay, and to pay monthly dues, and in the future, be receptive to buying goods from CCP to be used in game.

CCP are teamed with Sony and Nvidia. Those concerns need to see a regular solid customer base contributing to their income generation. If we mess up that flow of real money, there is no doubt that CCP will intervene. If you feel that you have a greater right to play pvp and scare people into leaving, then I fear you may not have fully grasped the reality of Eve-Online.

If a few hundred players get upset and attempt to destroy the fabric of the game for fee paying players, CCP will intervene, Sony, Nvidia and others are probably counting on it.

This blog complements my YouTube channel and can be seen at http://youtu.be/vs5DNOoT210