A player of the SF-MMO Eve Online has died in a violent attack in San Bernardino. The game’s community mourns “one of us.”
It is often sad occasions when the communities of online games show their best side.
A tragic story unfolded on Wednesday in San Bernardino, 100 kilometers east of Los Angeles. Two heavily armed shooters, a man and his wife, opened fire at a Christmas party in a facility for the disabled. 14 people were killed by them. The two perpetrators took their own lives after the massacre. As has now become clear, the attack likely had a terrorist background.
Among the 14 victims was Robert “Photonentorpedo” Adams, an avid player in EVE Online, who made many friends there and influenced many lives. His best friend published a moving letter on reddit, describing Adams as an upright and honest man, a role model from whom he had learned a lot.
Other players are visibly moved, whether they knew him or not, as they shared a common hobby, a passion.
“No one leaves Eve,” says one, “you just go afk.”
Friends of the family have created a charity page to collect donations for the widow of the deceased and for his little daughter. So far, over $45,000 have been raised.
One can assume that there is also the occasional dollar from a virtual friend in the world of EVE involved.
