Massively-multiplayer game Eve Online has long lied within the shadow of all the other MMOs out there. But with games like World of Warcraft, Star Wars: the Old Republic, and the recently released Elder Scrolls Online, that isn’t very surprising. A complex spaceship MMO with battle and drama between the game’s factions make the game something special in the genre, despite it being so largely overlooked.
So when freelance journalist Andrew Groen took on the large task of wanting to write a 10-year history book titled A History of the Great Empires of Eve Online, and took to Kickstarter to raise the funds, you can imagine our glee. Who would have known an MMO had so much story to it?
For those unfamiliar, Eve Online is a vast space-based MMO with a strong undercurrent of politics and a deep player-driven economy. Over the years that Eve Online has been out, it is one of the only MMOs that has seen a constant rise in subscribers - aside from a small loss in 2011. At the beginning of 2013, Eve Online could successfully boast well over 500,000 subscribers, though that is only a fraction when compared to World of Warcraft‘s 7.8 million.
With great progression abilities and a very strong social interactivity, Eve Online manages to offer its subscribers a huge amount of content in a universe unparalleled in size and scope. But what Eve Online is really known for - that other MMOs don’t have - is a heavy emphasis on player versus player combat, allowing players to build custom ships that worth thousands of real-world dollars, and lose it all in a single battle.
With a rich story that’s always growing and expanding, one might say that Groen has his hands full. But he’s full of confidence and it shows on his Kickstarter page:
“First and foremost I’m writing this because it’s an amazing story that deserves to be told in an accessible way. I’m also writing this because this history has never been written down before. As time moves on, key players and memories of the early days of this universe have started to fade, and we risk losing the history of one of gaming’s most unique communities who inhabit one of humanity’s first virtual worlds.”
On April 24, 2014, Groen started his campaign on Kickstarter, starting off with the goal of only getting $12,000 in funding to print an estimated 1,000 copies of his book. It took Groen just 7.5 hours to meet that goal. By the end of that first day, he had nearly twice the amount that he was asking for. In a mere six days, Groen has won the support of 1,637 backers on his book, amounting in a total of $36,959 in pledges. The project will remain open for funding on Kickstarter until Sunday, May 25, 2014.
The bulk of the funding that is raised through Kickstarter will go towards allowing Groen to dedicate all of his attention in to A History of the Great Empires of Eve Online. Until now, Groen has had to split his time between his regular, everyday duties and his project; but with the success so far, it looks like all of that is about to change. He hopes that with allowing himself to focus solely on his book, the funding will cut back on any kinds of delays or cancellations that can often creep up on unsuspecting writers.
Groen wishes to to print and ship a minimum of 1000 copies of his book, which is about when the price of mass printing becomes more wallet friendly. And because Groen is so passionate about his work, he’s giving anyone who donates $10 or more a copy of his book digitally for electronic devices, and a soft cover physical copy if you pledge $25 or more. Groen really has his eyes set on his prize, bringing the stories of a rich, and lore filled galaxy in to the hands of fans.
We know we’ll be keeping our eyes on Groen while he works towards his goals and his prize. If you would like to take a look at his project synopsis and ideas for yourself, head on over to the book’s Kickstarter page. For right now though, all we can say is thank you, Groen. It’s about time someone gave Eve Online the detailed attention it deserves.
Heather Williams
@Olaris_Rhea
Latest posts by Heather Williams (see all)
- WildStar Online Review - 4 July 2024
- Rob Pardo Leaves Blizzard Entertainment - 4 July 2024
- Rift Announces the next Expansion - Nightmare Tide - 1 July 2024
