Is Eve Online Free To Play? – A Brief Introduction To The Massive Space Faring Adventure

Finding a good space game can be a horrifying, daunting task. There are now nearly as many games on Steam as there are stars in the night sky (not fact-checked). So when a good one comes along, then lasts for over a decade, then there’s probably a reason why. Not only is Eve Online free to play (for the most part—while much of the game is free to play, some of the extended game requires a subscription), but it is one of the best games around. It has an obscene amount of depth and boasts some incredible records in its lifespan. For example, a battle known as The Bloodbath of B-R5RB was a battle involving thousands of players over a period of 21 hours. It is one of the largest and most expensive battles in gaming history. So, don’t you want to become a part of that history?

What Do You Do?

So, what is Eve Online? Well, technically it is a space-based, persistent world massively multiplayer online role-playing game. In real terms this means that there is one world that changes a lot and lots of players who affect that change. Actions that the in-game groups take have a genuine effect on the universe. It makes every action you take feel a bit weightier than in other online games. After all, how often do you have the chance to make history just by playing a game?

The game is set over 21,000 years in the future, in a time when humanity has escaped through a wormhole to try and find somewhere with more resources. The expansion of the human race has left much of the Milky Way barren. Unfortunately, this wormhole collapsed and left those on the other side stranded. This is the story of the stranded, or at least their descendants. There are now five main factions in Eve Online: The Amarr Empire, The Caldari State, The Gallante Federation, The Minmatar Republic, and The Jove Directorate. These effectively serve as the races you can choose from.

Work, Work, Work

Each account allows for up to three characters so you can experiment a little bit. Your job is to go out and explore the universe. The universe contains over 5000 systems, as well as a heap more, thanks to random wormhole systems. As you journey around you can then choose to role-play in Eve Online freely as a trader, or a pirate, or a space cowboy—more or less anything you can think of. There is an unprecedented amount of freedom in this game, and that’s what makes it so appealing.

The entire economy is actually mostly player-driven., which is why you can become a trader if you want. A lot of the progression available is down to you upgrading your ship which, of course, costs money. Aside from that, there is a vast array of skills to learn and master too. These allow you to fly new ship classes or to improve at certain tasks.

This might all sound like a bit too much freedom. Honestly, most of the time your best bet is to find a group to join who can take you under their wing and help you grow. This will also offer you a degree of protection; due to the freeform nature of the game, space isn’t always safe. You’ll need to be wary of other players you don’t know, as being a space pirate is a legitimate opposition. The universe is a scary place, so stay safe and have fun. Or just become a pirate and reap what you sow. After reading all of this you might be wondering “How is Eve Online free to play?” Who knows, but make the most of it.