Wars — Other Forms of Natural Evil in EVE

Abstract

If there ever was a good example for evil rules fostering conflict instead of productively overcoming it, then it would have to be the rules governing war in EVE. War in EVE is not an issue of states but of corporations and alliances. Each player corp or alliance can declare war on every other player corp or alliance at every time.¹ In EVE, ‘being at war’ means that the members of the warring corporations are formally allowed to shoot down ships of the opponent every time they encounter them and everywhere in EVE. The rules governing war are evil formal institutions: the game mechanic of war is software-enforced, deliberately put in place by CCP Games, and incites social conflict. In essence, the war mechanics allow corporations to fight even in the territory controlled by the virtual State without having to fear any governmental repercussions. The ‘State’ formally allows the use of coercion on its territory, resulting in a partial state of nature for the warring parties.