Eve developer cheats

By Robert Purchese Published 12 February, 2007

Helps self to forbidden fruits.

An Eve Online developer known simply as "t20" has turned out his pockets and confessed to unlawfully obtaining in-game items, leaving himself with guilty-pie all over his face.

Like a child blubbing to an angry shop owner, he owned up to pilfering blueprints in June 2006, the very same schematics that are normally limited to stop alliances monopolising control on specific items. This display of naivety could have thrown the entire cosmos into economic disaster.

In his selfish onslaught he swiped no less than eight blueprints: a Flameburst Precision Light Missile Blueprint; a Phalanx Rage Rocket Blueprint; a Havoc Fury Heavy Missile Blueprint; a Bloodclaw Fury Light Missile Blueprint; a Spike L Blueprint; and the best of these, a Sabre Blueprint, which is thought to be responsible for earning billions of in-game currency, "isk".

The incident initially came to light after CCP, developer of the space MMO, undertook a routine investigation of staff accounts last summer. A third-party with hawk-like eyesight unearthed the inconsistencies and the Eve community waited for justice, but it didn't come. In an unusual display of leniency, "t20" got away with just a slap on the wrist, despite other malefactors having had their employment terminated in the past.

In light of his confession, CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Petursson offered some soothing words of wisdom on previous shenanigans and measures the company is taking to prevent this behaviour in the future.

However, for some it's too little too late, as angry mobs converge on the official forums braying for answers and virtual blood spilling.

"The community at large is still left wanting for some actual results and closure of this incedent," blurted Bellum Eternus. "What say you CCP?"

And what say you, Eurogamers? Use your words below.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Shrimp #1 5 years ago

    If this proves anything, it's that Bertie should be made to write more funny stuff for our amusement.

  • Anora #2 5 years ago

    ok really, this is just plain silly

  • Tomnd #3 5 years ago

    why the fuck did they tell the community, what did they think would happen :S

  • Tonka #4 5 years ago

    Off with her head

  • KillerMonkey #5 5 years ago

    I think it's great that they actually made him fess up.
    Much better than so many other MMO companies that undoubtedly do things like this but keep covering them up.
    This shows that CCP does care, and it should be applauded IMO.

  • bioreit #6 5 years ago

    Burn the witch!

  • kencleary #7 5 years ago

    They didn't tell the community. The events happened last summer and since then a hacker named Krugstman man uncovered the truth and published it on his website. CCP then had no choice but to come clean and really most of the community thinks this is simply the least of what t20 did.

  • Pompeybear #8 5 years ago

    Cut his f****** head off !

  • jadeia #9 5 years ago

    CCP are censoring any mention of this on the official forums so the community has set up their own text board to allow discussion:

    http://tjhsst.edu/~jgarrett/eveonline/in...

  • Gollum860 #10 5 years ago

    After the article last year in PC Gamer (I think) about the super-detailed assassination / heist plot that a group spent the best part of a year masterminding, I can kind of appreciate Eve gamers getting a little riled at this.

    That read like an audacious A-Team plan. The dev's antics are just plain cheap by comparison.

    From the outside, it's pretty amusing. I'm sure anyone who's sunk a fair chunk of time into it wont think so, though.

  • AOFanboi #11 5 years ago

    I left EVE ages ago - like City of Spandex it feels too much like a one-trick pony. It's a window system with spreadsheets over a beautiful solar system backdrop showing your "ship" in the foreground.

  • Pompeybear #12 5 years ago

    Everybody knew that BoB were in bed with CCP , RESTART THE SERVER !

  • Tyronne #13 5 years ago

    You know how much sleep I will lose with all this....



    None at all.

  • YourMessageHere #14 5 years ago

    I'm with you AOFanboi, I tried the 20-day trial at the behest of a friend who was madly enthusiastic about it and I was astounded by how little I had to do with what actually happened, it was so detached and ponderous. Kind of the gameplay equivalent of telling your parents how to install windows over the phone. Pretty, but not fun.

    EDIT: actually, rereading that, telling your parents how to install windows over the phone isn't pretty. Eve is. Is what I meant.
    Edited by YourMessageHere at 12/02/07 @ 21:55

  • Macross #15 5 years ago

    I really like eve for about 2 months at a time then I have to quit and play something else until i forget why I left eve then i always go back :)

    Its really good but unless you have a group of good ppl to play with it gets really hollow after a month or to

    /doesnt have a group of good ppl to play with :(

  • coach_mcguirk #16 5 years ago

    NEEEEERRRRRRDDDDS!

    That's better.

  • ave #17 5 years ago

    Firstly: This was covered up, only because of a 3rd party hacker was this info uncovered.

    Secondly: Hellmar used weasel words to get out of firing t20(he has claimed that any employee who abuses their powers/position will get fired)

    Thirdly: Eve-online forum mods are deleting absolutely EVERYTHING at the moment in an attempt at damage control.

  • Sko #18 5 years ago

    For all outing someone's nickname is worth, they might as well claim they've also fired him. It'd make about as much difference.

    Ah well, the company has destroyed their credibility anyhoo. People will be seeing shadows from now until doomsday.

  • Kelduum #19 5 years ago

    @Macross, and anyone else feeling lost in EVE - Come join EVE University. We help you get the hang of things and find out what is actually good about the game, bar the pretty explosions.

    @Everyone - This is quite interesting, and looks like it may be having a drastic political impact in the game. The Alliance involved, Band of Brothers (BoB) have their stated goal as to take over all the space they can, and so far, they have done fairly well.

    What this has done though is polarise the population somewhat, meaning that a lot of people are now taking a stance for or against BoB, which may result in mass attacks from hundreds of smaller parties, which would be difficult for BoB to defend against.

  • Iora #20 5 years ago

    Well his ass should have been fired absolutely no doubt about it. This will only give everyone who hates BoB more ammunition, but they have the hackzors!!
    moan moan.

    I personally have a few BPO's they alone can't turn the tide of any war.

  • pauleyc #21 5 years ago

    Pod the bastard. Repeatedly.

  • zendragon #22 5 years ago

    Hang them!


    t20 wasn't fired because he is too useful/powerful or has such friends there Hipocrates? Yes!

    Can u trust them? No! This is a case of lying and lying and always continuing the same crap (like a junkee).


    Besides they covered it up as much as they could and still do. What cames out is just damage control.

    Is it a problem only because it was found out? Maybe for some others but certainly not all. Imagine WoW.

  • Macross #23 5 years ago

    @Kelduum

    Cheers man I might do that, I already cancelled my sub for my current stint at eve but I expect I will be back once more of revelations / kali has been implemented :)

    I literally just bought a Megathron (my first BS), am I still noob enough to join eve university?