Bots are a problem in online games, especially in EVE Online. Because those who use bots can disrupt the entire economic system and also shift the balance of power.
Although CCP Games announced that they would take tougher actions against players who use bots, the situation currently threatens to escalate. EVE Online player Stu Miner noticed that Nyx pilots from the organization “Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic” were behaving very strangely. The ships seemed completely unaware of him. Even powerful combat ships that could have easily taken him down ignored him. Together with friends, he then ambushed several ships from the organization and destroyed them – effortlessly. This was a clear sign for him that there were botters at work, whose ships were controlled by scripts.
Bots harm the economy in the game
The situation boiled over within the community when this became known. Because botting on such a large scale, as the “Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic” does, harms the game:
- Bots farm the in-game currency ISK without having to do anything for it
- In a month, all Nyx bots can farm 1.1 trillion ISK if they are only active for 10 hours a day
- With 24 hours of activity, Nyx bots can make 2.6 trillion ISK
- 1.6 billion ISK is worth about 500 PLEX, which can be used to cover the 20 dollars for a subscription
- If 1.1 trillion ISK is farmed in a month with 10 hours of activity, bots can generate about 13,750 dollars
- As real money trading is possible, botters make a lot of money in the game
- The more ISK floods the market, the less value honest ISK farmers’ work has
- Paying customers feel worthless
- PLEX are becoming increasingly expensive
Bots can disrupt the balance of power
These are serious implications for the game’s economy. But it gets even worse. Because botters can not only influence the economy in the game but the entire power structure:
- Players who have become wealthy through bots buy powerful combat ships with the money
- They attack the organizations of players
- With illegally “bot-farmed” money and the purchased super fleets, organizations can be weakened or wiped out
- Wars in EVE Online can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars since the destroyed ships also need to be replaced
Measures against botters are barely effective
As the measures from CCP Games to combat botters evidently do not yield results and the organization “Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic” continues its game-harming activities in EVE Online, many players of the MMO are currently angry. Community manager Paul Elsy also refers to it as a “plague”.
Even if the developers ban thousands of accounts due to botting, players do not believe that there is currently an effective method that can curb botting.
The “Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic” has reportedly been operating in the MMO for five years, and only now has the suspicion arisen that they are engaging in botting. One can imagine the damage they have already caused. Now it is up to CCP Games to provide clear evidence against the organization and take action. However, many more botters will surely be active in EVE Online, which is why players now want to take matters into their own hands to save the MMORPG.
CCP Games is already working on measures to better combat botters.
