They're leaning into the "spreadsheets in space" cliché, and players love it.
EVE Online, Reclaiming the Joke, Partners with Microsoft Excel
Written by Alex Sinclair Lack at 05/07/2022, 06:49 AM
It's safe to that there have been many moments at EVE Fanfest that have caused rapturous applause. But perhaps the biggest of them all came upon the announcement that CCP are teaming up with Microsoft to bring the EVE Online Excel partnership.
Spreadsheets in Space
When a joke gets told too many times, it becomes a cliché. And EVE has long been mocked by its detractors as "spreadsheets in space" due to its complexity and...well...the fact that players really need to use spreadsheets to keep track and play the game well. Increasingly, fans and players have reclaimed the meme and rejoiced in the complexity of the title.
Now, via a partnership with Microsoft, CCP Games have reclaimed the meme like never before while adding a very useful new feature. Fans will now be able to access and alter Excel sheets directly from the game client. EVE Online players can add JavaScript API in Excel that directly exports data from EVE.
This will allow players to calculate everything from profit margins to battle strategy without having to minimize the game and/or rely on multiple screens. Some tech savvy players have already created their own custom APIs, but for your average capsuleer the news is huge.
More details will be released later this year, but it's undeniably exciting for fans. During Bergur Finnbogason's keynote speech, an early version of the tech was showcased, and the crowd went wild. How much of that was down to the feature and how much was down to the joy of the meme being ultimately reclaimed is up for debate. Still, we think it's great and we'll await the World of Warcraft x PowerPoint partnership with bated breath.