EVE General Discussion

The pubbie-swarm and the future of EVE

The head of marketing for CCP pointed out in his presentation at this year’s EVE Fanfest that Goonswarm has been responsible for some of the best player-created content and stories in EVE Online. In my opinion this is absolutely true and reading about the Goonswarm/BoB conflict was what originally got me interested in EVE Online.

I was not present when Goons first came to EVE. That happened before my time in-game. While I do not have first hand knowledge of the beginnings of Goonswarm, I enjoy reading of their past exploits. Goonswarm came into the game to ruin “your” game. They set out to gank, grief and scam their way to becoming EVE’s boogey-men. They set their sights on Band of Brothers, a symbol of the EVE “establishment” and waged a guerilla war using insurgent tactics, espionage and betrayal to bring down their foe. Goonswarm quickly became the perfect comic-book style villains for the EVE universe, thriving on mayhem and misery, and almost universally feared and hated.

Having been away from the game for more than a year I was anxiously awaiting the Goonswarm presentation at this year’s fanfest. I was waiting to hear what deliciously evil plots, what dastardly deeds the Goons had been up to lately.

I’m sure almost everyone in the gaming universe has seen the presentation by now, but let me quickly summarize: They blew up some miners, and received angry mails. They scammed some guys and received angry mails. They ganked a depressed ice-miner and received an angry mail. Actually that mail was more sad than angry.

Huh. That’s what the Goons had to brag about for the past year?

Actually, no it wasn’t. The Goons had gotten their CEO elected to the chairman position of the CSM for the second year in a row. The Mittani was elected in an unprecedented landslide. He had the ear of CCP and was the spokesman for the EVE players. All the power and influence a group of players could ask for was all concentrated in the hands of Goonswarm! Now that is an accomplishment.

As we all know, that only lasted a couple days. For only a precious few moments, Goonswarm got to gloat on the forums and bask in the knowledge that their leader was the most influential player in all of EVE. I do not wish to debate the seriousness (or lack thereof) of The Mittani’s blunder. It should have been obvious to anyone who has ever watched the evening news that politicians, especially controversial politicians, shouldn’t show up to public events soaked in booze and overflowing with hubris. The Mittani has proven that this holds true for internet spaceship politicians as well.

Their leader dethroned, and some would say disgraced, I braced myself for the Goon response. I did not have to wait long. The Goons, in all of their fury and indignation … are going to grief traders in Jita … in a month.

Really? That's the plan? Where did this pubbie-swarm come from? What happened to the Goons?

Having been defeated in the meta-game in spectacular fashion by a trolling ice-miner, The Mittani’s big idea is griefing in Jita. How original. It would be perfect if every half-witted high-sec scrub-pirate in the game hadn’t been doing this for years and years. Someone please tell me this is some kind of head-fake troll to mask their intention of doing something interesting.

This is not Goonswarm. This is not the Goonswarm that defeated Band of Brothers. This is not the Goonswarm that has created the best stories in EVE. That Goonswarm would not be badposting all over various forums and twitter whining and crying and mewling. That Goonswarm would not be threatening mayhem for some time in the future, you know … after they get ready. This pubbie-swarm is no longer the rebels they once were fighting against the EVE “Establishment.” They have become what they once fought to tear down. This pubbie-swarm has become bloated and weak. This is a sad day for EVE Online.

And yet in EVE, as in life, history marches on. A new chapter is about to begin in EVE Online. I wonder who will write it? The pubbie-swarm has many enemies. Ancient enemies from wars past, newer enemies from recent wars and perhaps even rivals within the CFC, they all smell blood in the water. They are all wondering if it is their turn to be at the top. They sense that what was once Goonswarm is but a shell of its former self.

CCP could not have picked a better time for a war-themed expansion, as I feel a great war will soon be upon us all. I wonder who will come out on top? Will they be heroes or villains? Who is going to rise up and lead us all into the next era of EVE history? Will you be a part of it?

Null-sec’ers … carebears … industrialists … pirates … wormholers … I call on you all to pick a side and mount up. EVE is going to war and I, for one, want to be able to say “I was there.”

Disclaimer: Yes, I am posting on an NPC Corp alt. This is because I can’t be arsed to deal with idiotic, whiney teenagers in-game and I really don’t care in the slightest what any of you think about alts. So rest assured that if anyone feels the need to point out this fact-- I will be appropriately impressed with your Sherlock Holmes-esqe ability to deduce obvious things.

Actually Goonswarm came into the game to be the libertarian experiment of a very fat law student, haha Remedial.



This continues to amuse me. There is no such thing as a Chairman of the CSM. Its a position The Mitanni made up that suddenly became important... just because!



And suddenly you're irrelevant.

Tell me more about how CFC is about to turn on allies.

Pets are always the last to know.....

tyvm for the translation, the wall is intense!

Khurem CSM8!

I kinid of wish that some of the exploits of pre-goon and bob entry into the game were more accessable.. I guess if they are still around old timers could share more in EVE is real.. but so far.

I am so proud of you.

Why the hell are they even giving a month warning?? Youd think theyd keep it all internal and hush hush to get as many people as possible and do as much damage as they could.
Why the hell warn people ahead of time?

I'd say initially it was more BoB going after the Goons then the other way round. Only when that fight became more and more bitter, Goons transformed into the 'we try to ruin your game' attitude with all the meta-gaming and underhanded tactics.

Many people might hate them, but I think they make this game a lot more fun.