Player Alex “The Mittani” Gianturco has brought fame and power to the MMORPG EVE Online over the course of 17 years. As the “Space Tyrant,” he directs the fate of the “Imperium” and has influence over tens of thousands of players. But now it’s all too much for him: He can no longer tolerate the constant criticism of him and his decisions. He is stepping down.
Who is “The Mittani”?
- He is probably the most well-known and notorious player of the MMORPG EVE Online. A former lawyer, he retired early from his job and has since lived the MMORPG “EVE Online.” He has been playing EVE Online for 17 years and has led some of the most important groups in the MMORPG for 12 years.
- He presents himself as a rogue who leads an “Imperium” composed of many different groups. He plays with the psyche of his opponents and uses manipulation and propaganda to seize control of the universe.
- One of “The Mittani”‘s major successes is the “World War Bee,” a 55-week-long war in the MMORPG: The Imperium seemed nearly defeated in 2021, pushed back to a few core systems, only to return even stronger and annihilate the opponents: The motivation of the Imperium was greater. The Spacelord was able to keep his troops engaged, whereas the opponents were not.
Space Tyrant says: Too many dirty lies are being thrown at him
This is what TheMittani says now: In a lengthy post on the Goonfleet forum, The Mittani has officially announced his withdrawal from his role as CEO and leader of various organizations.
He says (via imperium.news):
“My people, I fear that the sheer amount of dirt being thrown at me through the galaxy is too much to personally endure. My divorce, the loss of my dog, and the awful number of lies and falsehoods piling up have made me simply too radioactive to continue leading the Goonswarm without my presence being a constant negative point for the entire tribe.
The allegations against me, which I know, are baseless falsehoods, and I did not sign up to be the scapegoat of the entire galaxy.”
The Mittani believes that because he sits on the throne, all of EVE Online thinks they can throw any nonsense at him without restraint.
He can no longer endure this and hopes his successor will be better off without him.
Won the greatest war and built the largest Imperium
He is proud of what he has achieved in 12 years. They have created the “largest and most interesting space Imperium in Internet history” and “defeated the entire rest of the game in the largest war of the Internet.”
Now he will smoke a little grass. It has been an honor and a privilege.
What are these allegations he speaks of? As the site PC Gamer reports, a variety of complex accusations against The Mittani are circulating. Essentially, it revolves around his leadership style, which relies on confrontation and dismisses issues as trivial.
A central accusation against The Mittani is that a high-ranking member of the Imperium approached him to discuss an officer of the Imperium who had been banned from the “Something Awful” forum for allegedly being involved in child pornography.
However, The Mittani did not address this complaint, but instead insulted the person who filed the complaint and banned them from the organization.
PC Gamer believes that The Mittani’s departure may also signify a cultural change: The old guard of the Imperium still comes from the era of the “Something Awful” forum, when people spoke harshly and unfiltered to each other. This group is now believed to be isolated within the much larger organization “The Imperium.”
How is this being discussed? Many people on reddit can hardly believe that such a central element of EVE Online is leaving with “The Mittani.” However, there are also players who view “Goonswarm” critically and hope that something changes with The Mittani’s departure.
People say:
- “I thought EVE Online would close before that happens.”
- “Hopefully, this is the first step toward organizational change. The next step is to get rid of the old buddy club that protects those deemed ‘Untouchable.'”
- “Goons complaining about harassment of people in the game… lol”
Some see the discussion as rather amusing. For them, the drama is part of the appeal of EVE Online for which they gladly pay their subscription fee.
The actions with which “The Mittani” built his reputation are illustrated by this story:
Betrayal in EVE Online – Intrigues like from Game of Thrones
