MMO EVE Online Hits 100,000 Subscribers

Independent developer and publisher CCP Games has announced that its flagship title, EVE Online, has reached the 100,000 subscriber mark, and that its healthy user growth has maintained. "The growth of the game's popularity within the MMOG genre has become especially evident in highly competitive markets such as the US and Western Europe, and we fully expect to carry that momentum into China's game market later this year," said CCP CMO Magnus Bergsson. While 100,000 subscribers may not seem like much in comparison to World of Warcraft's 5.5 million (even if a number of these are Asian subscriptions, which are sometimes measured differently), CCP is confident that EVE's differentiations - mainly, the game's time-based leveling system that does not necessitate a player being in-game to advance in levels - will continue to make the game a success. "The key to success in this industry is providing content that promotes immersive longevity," said EVE Online Senior Producer Nathan Richardsson. "Time-based skill advancement evens the playing field between new and veteran players, and our model of providing free game expansions to subscribers ensures that the player experience always stays fresh and continues to evolve."