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CCP crack down on player impersonation in Eve Online Terms of Service

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I’d say a good, ooo, half of Eve’s best stories hinge on a deception that blurs the borders of the game and invariably leaves a furious somebody millions of ISK out of pocket. Take April’s CEO who robbed his own company blind, or July’s spy who killed a major alliance from the inside.

On the whole, CCP have looked on with amusement and occasional comment, offering tacit approval of what many would call the Spirit of the Game. There are sensible limits, though: that much the developers have made clear in a new clarification to their Terms of Service.

Yesterday saw an update to Article 8, which defines the rules on impersonation of “other entities” in Eve. The old text once read:

You may not impersonate or present yourself to be a representative of CCP or an EVE Online volunteer

Now, however, it makes special reference to the identity theft of third parties:

You may not impersonate or present yourself to be a representative of CCP or an EVE Online volunteer. You may not impersonate or falsely present yourself to be a representative of another player, group of players, character or NPC entity.

CCP are quick to point out that every other policy in Eve’s ToS has been left as is – you can check that for yourself here. But, gosh: the effects of this are going to be far-reaching. Is the next great space heist going to end in an unceremonious banning?