Even if you've lived under a proverbial rock and only heard of EVE Online through whispers in the wind, you'll have probably heard it described as spreadsheets in space. That description's about to become a whole lot more apt, with CCP Games today announcing the least surprising brand collaboration this side of Fortnite.
During the FanFest 2022 keynote, the developer announced that it's leaning fully into being spreadsheets in space by working with Microsoft to create an official Excel API for EVE Online players. While only a prototype right now, the tool lets EVE players import all sorts of market data and outfitting stats into the program.
It is a brazenly honest admission of what the game is, followed as it was by a solid 30 minutes of lads standing on stage in front of line graphs describing everything from regional ore mining yields to ship construction rates over time. And, fair play, the Excel collab received uproarious applause—a sign both that EVE players are able to poke fun at their own reputation while admitting that, yes, it would be quite nice to apply formal business tools to their space empires.
"Excel feature compatibility will help players access and calculate everything from profit margins to battle strategy, making day-to-day EVE operations easier to execute," CCP said in a press release. "The Microsoft integration is another step toward CCP’s goal of making the MMO more accessible for both casual and seasoned players."
The EVE Excel API is still under development, with more details to be released later this year.
