Recently, The Atlantic, a US based magazine took an interest in EVE ONLINE, specifically the CSM and by extension, virtual politics. The article is rare coverage of something other than big fights.

[link to article]

Most of the real world press picks up stories of the high cost of battles or heists in real money terms, often evoking bewilderment by readers unfamiliar with the game. EVE community members barrage the comment sections trying to correct perceptions. Interestingly, the comments are usually littered with people who tried and failed to get into EVE.

The fantastic stories peak interest among gamers and EVE usually gets an influx of trial subscriptions. Unfortunately, most new subscribers have miscalibrated expectations, making retention numbers artificially low.

The Atlantic article may also be the first time a high -minded magazine has explored the high-minded game.

The Atlantic is an American magazine, founded in 1857 in Boston, Massachusetts, now based in Washington, D.C. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine and quickly achieved a national reputation as a high-quality review with a moderate worldview—a reputation it has maintained for over 150 years. The magazine has notably recognized and published new writers and poets, as well as encouraged major careers. It has also published leading writers’ commentary on abolition, education, and other major issues in contemporary political affairs. The magazine has won more National Magazine Awards than any other monthly magazine. – wikipedia

A few days ago, the EVENEWS24 article “Vanguard Frontiers: 600 Billion ISK Heist” written by staff writer Mail Lite was picked up by International Business Times, among other news outlets (Twinfinite, LEVELUP, Gamereactor UK and others).

In January of 2014, the battle of B-R5RB was picked up by the BBC, Forbes, Fox News.

In 2005, the legendary story “Murder Incorporated, Contract killers devastate mega-corporation,” in PC Gamer (UK Edition) was published. That article was so intriguing it lit the imaginations and brought in the likes of TheMittani, Shadoo, and many other players (including me). Unfortunately it is a hard article to find online. Here is a 2008 Engadget article referencing the story:

Almost a legend among EVE Online players, the acts of the Guiding Hand Social Club spurred a well-known article in the UK’s PC Gamer way back in 2005. That piece, and interest in other high-profile incidents like the EIB scam, led to other articles like Jim Rossignol’s Escapist piece on the Great Scam. That original article has never been ‘nicely’ available online, until now. As the jokesters on the CVG site say, “This article was originally published in the September 2005 issue of PC Gamer (UK edition). It has literally taken us that long to upload it.” The article, Murder, Incorporated, takes a look behind the scenes at the dirty world of online contract killings inside EVE space. Modern politiking and corporate warfare has no doubt made this seem like child’s play. Just the same, Tom Francis’ artful wordplay makes the infiltration of Ubiqua Seraph by the Club less like guild drama and more like a Cold War-era tale of cloak and dagger politics. It’s well worth a read. — Engadget

Unfortunately, the only online version of the story was on CVG (Computerandvideogames.com), which basically closed (link). There is still a site that carries scans of the original article: http://eve.klaki.net/heist/. The story was also republished in EVE’s EON Magazine.

Articles like the one in The Atlantic and the appearance at MOMA in NY are legitimizing forces that validate EVE as more than a video game or even a hobby. This coverage signals EVE’s importance as a social experiment: A social experiment that is real.