I am going to guess that most people who read this have never even heard of the incredibly popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Eve Online.
So first let me briefly describe what it is: an online video game set in a science fictional universe where tens, even hundreds of thousands of people play with and against each other simultaneously.
The game is so engaging, and so popular that many who play the game become fully engrossed by it. Make no mistake– this is not a 5 minute 25¢ game of Space Invaders! This is a game that fully consumes the lives of many who play it. Consider for a moment the following statement by Eyjólfur Guðmundsson, who is the top Economist at CCP Games (the company that owns Eve Online):
“Our mission statement is to make virtual worlds more meaningful than real life.”
WAIT?! What did he say? Eyjólfur said that the stated purpose of their company is to make virtual online worlds that are more meaningful than real life. I find this to be absolutely staggering.
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