# Alphas and Free to Play **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046 "2025-02-05T15:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/61 "2025-02-07T13:37:37Z")
> [@QuakeGod](#): > > Let’s be honest here, if you can’t afford $15 to $20 USD for a month’s worth of entertainment, there are probably better things you need to be doing with your life than playing video games… I don’t even think it’s the affordability aspect - it’s more a question of what you’re getting for entertainment from that $15-$20. Players will happily pay $15-$20 if they’re having fun. When players gripe about the cost - I think it’s more from the “what kind of entertainment am I getting for my buck” kind of thing. So the question is: Are we having fun? :fedo: The answer for most probably is - not really. At least not $15-$20 worth. Maybe $5-$10 worth… Hence the repeated calls for a cheaper subscription. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/62 "2025-02-07T13:44:03Z")
Let me pose a question: What do people think about the idea of unlocking certain ships and skills to V for Alphas - but only to a certain point? And if so, what would be that point? Frigates, destroyers, cruisers? Would it be T1, Faction and T2? ---
**Author:** ![QuakeGod](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/quakegod/32/480339_2.png) [@QuakeGod](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/QuakeGod)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/63 "2025-02-07T13:46:08Z")
What do you mean, only to a certain point? V is as high as a skill goes. They can already fly faction battleships, for Christ’s sake. They have more than enough of the game available to them as it is… ---
**Author:** ![Glenduil](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/glenduil/32/501812_2.png) [@Glenduil](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Glenduil)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:54pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/64 "2025-02-07T13:54:25Z")
> [@Arthur\_Aihaken](#): > > I don’t even think it’s the affordability aspect - it’s more a question of what you’re getting for entertainment from that $15-$20. Players will happily pay $15-$20 if they’re having fun. When players gripe about the cost - I think it’s more from the “what kind of entertainment am I getting for my buck” kind of thing. Then the message becomes- find a different form of entertainment. There are unlimited hobbies in the world. No judgement if Eve isn’t for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Aisha\_Katalen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/aisha_katalen/32/387724_2.png) [@Aisha\_Katalen](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Aisha_Katalen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/65 "2025-02-07T13:55:18Z")
To me Alpha is fine apart from perhaps one thing: being able to fly Pirate faction ships because those tend to be on par with T2, power wise. I feel that this is just too much because very often they are the best ship option for whatever they want to do and that just shouldn’t be available to alphas. Certain pirate faction ships should be nerfed anyway but that’s a different subject. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/66 "2025-02-07T13:55:20Z")
> [@Glenduil](#): > > Then the message becomes- find a different form of entertainment. There are unlimited hobbies in the world. No judgement if Eve isn’t for everyone. Very true. Let’s face it, though - EVE has a fairly steep learning curve. ---
**Author:** ![Kezrai\_Charzai](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/kezrai_charzai/32/394578_2.png) [@Kezrai\_Charzai](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Kezrai_Charzai)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/67 "2025-02-07T13:55:45Z")
> [@Arthur\_Aihaken](#): > > When players gripe about the cost - I think it’s more from the “what kind of entertainment am I getting for my buck” kind of thing. > > So the question is: Are we having fun? :fedo: > > The answer for most probably is - not really. At least not $15-$20 worth. Maybe $5-$10 worth… Hence the repeated calls for a cheaper subscription. Cheaper play isn’t the answer. Your question of “Are we having fun?” is more to the point. But the _real_ question is, “what do the **whales** have to drive them to continue to pay large for EVE?”. Because game funding isn’t about getting a whole bunch of new guys to pay $9.99 per month. It’s about _keeping_ the guys who pay $250 per month, and adding more of those. That’s the reason the entire industry shifted towards F2P, and why most game design efforts focus on ‘the end game’ rather than more stuff for newbies. Yes, everyone needs more ‘fun’. But what really drives players to play longer and pay more is to set themselves a goal they want to achieve, and decide they’re going to play (and pay) long enough to reach it. And if they can get there faster by throwing more money at it, so much the better. People may dislike that and call it P2W, but it’s what pays the bills at gamedev HQ. ---
**Author:** ![Glenduil](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/glenduil/32/501812_2.png) [@Glenduil](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Glenduil)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/68 "2025-02-07T13:56:00Z")
> [@Arthur\_Aihaken](#): > > The answer for most probably is - not really. At least not $15-$20 worth. Maybe $5-$10 worth… Hence the repeated calls for a cheaper subscription. I don’t think CCP should have to lower the subscription just because someone ALMOST enjoys the game. There are other games out there. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/69 "2025-02-07T13:56:02Z")
> [@Aisha\_Katalen](#): > > To me Alpha is fine apart from perhaps one thing: being able to fly Pirate faction ships because those tend to be on par with T2, power wise. I feel that this is just too much because very often they are the best ship option for whatever they want to do and that just shouldn’t be available to alphas. > > Certain pirate faction ships should be nerfed anyway but that’s a different subject. So limited to T1 hulls only? No Faction, Pirate, T2, T3, etc? Should this be capped at cruisers? (no battlecruisers or battleships) In a perfect world, probably. But I suspect the cost of said ships provides an incentive to PLEX ($) for them. If all you could fly around in are (less expensive) T1 hulls - it’s probably a revenue hit. ---
**Author:** ![Aisha\_Katalen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/aisha_katalen/32/387724_2.png) [@Aisha\_Katalen](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Aisha_Katalen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/70 "2025-02-07T14:02:04Z")
Faction is fine I feel, they’re good but not silly OP. If a ship (line) is pretty much “the best” for certain play styles it shouldn’t be available to alphas. ---
**Author:** ![QuakeGod](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/quakegod/32/480339_2.png) [@QuakeGod](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/QuakeGod)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/71 "2025-02-07T14:02:43Z")
Alpha accounts are limited because they are free. You get what you pay for. The only area in which Alphas are extremely limited is mining/production. And that’s for a good reason. If they had access to mining barges, PI, invention, or research, then everyone and their dog would have 1.000 Alpha accounts. And thanks to the ability to make unlimited free Alpha accounts, combined with a VPN, there’s absolutely nothing CCP could do about it. This is also why they removed the ability of Alphas to turn off their safety in high sec. Because of players multiboxing fleets of ganking toons using disposable free Alpha accounts… ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/72 "2025-02-07T14:03:46Z")
Entirely different question: What does everyone think about the “parking lot” aspect for Alphas? ie: Being able to safely logoff a ship as an Omega, let your account lapse and have it lurk in the netherworld as an Alpha until whenever. Or for that matter, being able to safely log off as an Alpha period? I know there’s also some structure evacuation shenanigans as well. ---
**Author:** ![Gloria\_Exercitus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/gloria_exercitus/32/509735_2.png) [@Gloria\_Exercitus](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Gloria_Exercitus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/73 "2025-02-07T14:25:10Z")
> [@Srima\_Darkstar](#): > > What this really sounds like to me, is an elitist mentally at work. Being able to afford £12.50 a month ( on the 3 month subscription ) for a computer game is ‘elite’ ? I got more pocket money than that as a kid 60 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Aisha\_Katalen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/aisha_katalen/32/387724_2.png) [@Aisha\_Katalen](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Aisha_Katalen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/74 "2025-02-07T14:28:24Z")
> [@QuakeGod](#): > > Because of players multiboxing fleets of ganking toons using disposable free Alpha accounts… That’s not really what happened as they would be found out pretty easily, given that they tend to be reported every time they gank someone. What DID happen is that people made ganking alt accounts to use with friends or corpies. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/75 "2025-02-07T14:30:09Z")
> [@Aisha\_Katalen](#): > > What DID happen is that people made ganking alt accounts to use with friends or corpies. Yeah, no. There’s a reason red safety got nixed and it had nothing to do with players “teaming up” with their friends. Maybe in a few exceptions - but what @QuakeGod alluded to is more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![QuakeGod](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/quakegod/32/480339_2.png) [@QuakeGod](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/QuakeGod)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/76 "2025-02-07T14:31:36Z")
This is an MMO. Teaming up with your friends is what you are supposed to do. So no, that’s not why it was removed. It was removed because of players who were using virtual machines and VPN to multibox fleets of gank alts… ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/77 "2025-02-07T14:35:57Z")
> [@Arthur\_Aihaken](#): > > lurk in the netherworld as an Alpha until whenever In case of wormhole space it is limited by time: > [@Safe log-off in WH, log-in back in Empire?](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/safe-log-off-in-wh-log-in-back-in-empire/279788): > > Hi all. Just back after an 18 mo break. I had a couple of chars logging off safely in WH space (not in a structure of any sort) and now that I started playing again I found them in their ship (not in a pod) in Empire, without any losses on their kill-sheets. Did any game mechanics get introduced that would justify this? Has anyone had a similar experience? Thanks all! > [@Haven't played in a while. Everything I left safely logged out in a wormhole is now safely logged out in high sec. Wtf?](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/havent-played-in-a-while-everything-i-left-safely-logged-out-in-a-wormhole-is-now-safely-logged-out-in-high-sec-wtf/255175): > > Before I retired from EVE last time I played, I built myself an orca in a c1 wormhole (yes built, since you can’t bring one in due to mass limits) and logged out several ships on alt accounts in space. Imagine my surprise when I logged in today to find out that all of the ships I seeded, including the orca, have been moved to high sec!?! All of my characters are still logged in their ships. Some got moved to Jita while others are displaced in random systems. I’m very confused? What happened? A… ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/78 "2025-02-07T14:38:00Z")
Interesting. Imagine if they cut that to 30 days regardless of region… ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:40pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/79 "2025-02-07T14:40:09Z")
> [@Arthur\_Aihaken](#): > > 30 days regardless of region… I think that could be exploited in a different way, as a safe trip back to Empire space, used for shipping cargo and whatnot. Though not necessarily too different from using jump freighters and whatnot but still an infinite distance safe method though limited by time. The shorter the duration the more convenient it is for such purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046/80 "2025-02-07T14:47:47Z")
> [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](#): > > I think that could be exploited in a different way, as a safe trip back to Empire space, used for shipping cargo and whatnot. I was thinking more having them just reappear in space… [Previous page](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046.md?page=3) [Next page](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/alphas-and-free-to-play/476046.md?page=5)