CZ Minutes: Burn It Down?

Last week, we attempted to solve the mercurial problem of PvE in Eve Online. This week, we turn our gaze to player-created content in the shape of the now infamous Burn Jita. Is it a net positive for New Eden or is it another Mittens ego-trip that damages Eve Online and causes unsubscriptions?

Xander: Burn Jita III is about to hit high sec once again with the fury that only Goonswarm can bring to bear to the region. The week on CZ Minutes, I was to discuss whether or not Burn Jita is a good thing for the game? Sure, it provides a lot of content to people in nullsec but there can be no doubt that there are a not insignificant number of players who have quit the game because of it. Is Burn Jita a net positive for New Eden or a toxic event that purely exists to inflate the ego of The Mittani? Answers on a postcard…

Niden: All of the above. It is very hard to judge if the bottom line is positive or negative. It’s just one of those things that is part of New Eden culture nowadays. Not everyone likes the fireworks at New Year either, people get hurt, people with dogs decide to move to another neighborhood.

On the one hand it can be viewed as a massive dick-swinging session by the CFC and The Mittani. Dropping by Jita once a year to remind the plebs who has the bigger stick. On the other it can be considered a developing annual holiday, a reminder of the past as well as a celebration of the freedom of EVE. It might also be considered an reminder that we’re all connected, from the civilized (obvious scam joke goes here) business world of Jita to lawless 0.0 space.

Ultimately it’s a ‘thing’ now. It gives EVE character and is spoken of well outside the borders of the game and its players. In the end this must be viewed as a strength as it helps get the word out about EVE and its unique player driven culture and history.

Forlorn: Burn Jita is always a good time to make good ISK, especially in the other trade hubs. While I do my profit during the event I think it is kinda lame and boring. I did high sec ganking a few times but it is not entertaining to me. Basically a group is feeding upon mostly uninformed pod pilots that are not connected with the meta community or are still very new to the game.

I personally can evade such events easily as well as I can evade the usual JF ganking. I have my needed stockpiles in lowsec sorted for months, while my traders are ready to manipulate the market as good as possible.

Xander: If I am being forced to pick a side, I’d imagine events like Burn Jita probably keep more people than may leave because of it. The one thing that will cause a 0.0 player to unsub is a lack of interesting, fun, social content. Events like Burn Jita help keep those players involved in the game and paying for their accounts. My hunch is that more players stick around due to events like Burn Jita than leave as a consequence.

Joran: I think Burn Jita is a good thing. In a player driven world, player driven events are paramount. As Forlorn said, they’re preying on the uninformed, and it’s hard to defend anyone who wants to stay uninformed in Eve’s current climate. Trying to pin down an entire group’s motivations is risky, but I do think Burn Jita is a net gain for the subscriber base.

Xander: I agree. Burn Jita, The Angel Project, Eve Radio, ISK doublers – for good or for bad, they all add richness and depth to the universe that is New Eden.