EVE developer regrets handling of MMO fiasco

EVE Online lead designer Kristoffer Touborg has admitted he wishes the studio could change “everything” about the handling of the recently leaked CCP documents, which stated users would be able to purchase gameplay-altering items for real-world money.

When asked in an interview with MMORPG.com what he wished he could change in the handling of the event, Kristoffer Touborg said “Everything?”

“I think we should have been much clearer with the community in terms of what is sold for AUR and what’s not. The gold ammo debate was so stupid because we should have just pre-emptively killed it a long time ago.”

Touborg went on to describe how selling in-game ammunition for real world money would have a negative affect on the overall game.

“I have no issues with selling clothing for AUR, because I think for a lot of people, customising their character gives them value. Gold ammo on the other hand messes with the competitive balance, so watching that discussion was painful.

“I would have loved to just copy paste “GOLD AMMO GETS INTO EVE WHEN IT’S TAKEN FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS” everywhere. That’s not to say that gold ammo is universally awful, I just don’t think it fits into our particular universe.”

EVE Online was originally released in 2003 and has developed an outspoken community of PC fans. An upcoming game set in the Eve world, Dust 514, is currently being developed as a PS3 exclusive.