CCP Announces the Council of Stellar Management to Empower Players Through Representative Democracy in EVE Online

Players Gain a New Level of In-Game and Out-of-Game Representation Aimed at Improving All Aspects of the Second Largest MMO in US and Europe

REYKJAVIK, Iceland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CCP, one of the world’s leading independent game developers, has announced the formation of the Council of Stellar Management (CSM), the first democratically-elected governing body in a virtual world. Its inception marks a decisive leap in the evolution in online worlds, especially in terms of how a publisher interacts with its community. For EVE Online, the council encompasses the next logical step in the complex social and economic systems for which EVE is well known.

“The voice of the player has always been an integral and driving force in the maturation of EVE Online, so the institution of the Council of Stellar Management is natural at this point,” said Pétur Óskarsson, CCP Researcher and project lead for the Council of Stellar Management. “The CSM will empower players with a formal communications channel to directly impact the development of their society as it grows more and more advanced.”

The CSM will consist of nine representatives and five alternates, each elected by popular vote from EVE’s player base, a population of cyber citizens that’s nearing the quarter-million mark. The call for candidacy opened March 18 and will be followed by a two-week long election period slated to begin May 5 and ending on May 19. During their six-month term, delegates to the council will deliberate on issues of importance to the EVE community and work with representatives of CCP on the future evolution of EVE Online.

“EVE Online has evolved from an MMORPG to a virtual world with a virtual society. It is our role as its caretakers to evolve our approach as well, through economics research, political science or other aspects of operations or development,” said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP. “A democratic election process of representatives is one of mankind’s greatest inventions. We are bringing a version of that to EVE now with hope of it allowing us to expand EVE Online in a similar way to what we’ve seen on Earth.”

More on the architecture and logistics of the Council of Stellar Management can be found here: http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=545.

About EVE Online

Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE Online is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled with adventure, riches, danger and glory. With over 220,000 subscribers worldwide inhabiting the same virtual universe, EVE features a vast player-run economy where your greatest asset is the starship, designed to accommodate your specific needs, skills and ambitions. EVE offers professions ranging from commodities trader to mercenary, industrial entrepreneur to pirate, mining engineer to battle fleet commander or any combination of these and much more. From brokering business deals to waging war, you will have access to a diverse array of sophisticated tools and interfaces to forge your own destiny in EVE. Learn more and sign up for a free, 14-day trial at www.eve-online.com.

Definition of Subscribers

EVE Online subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active electronic time code (ETC) to play EVE Online, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions and expired ETCs.

About CCP

CCP is recognized internationally as an industry-leading pioneer of the single-server persistent universe architecture as the developer and publisher of EVE Online, the critically-acclaimed, science fiction-based massively multiplayer online game (MMOG). Utilizing a cross-discipline approach combining cutting-edge technology and artistic excellence, CCP is dedicated to providing vibrant, compelling products that transcend the boundaries of conventional MMOGs and facilitate social networking through virtual worlds. Founded in 1997 and privately held, the company is headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, with offices in Atlanta, London and Shanghai. More information about CCP is available at the company’s website, www.ccpgames.com.

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