It's a tough call when trying to determine which MMO games are relevant to the virtual worlds space, but EVE Online is definitely one of those. PC gaming-focused Rock, Paper, Shotgun agrees, and in an in-depth interview with senior developer Nathan 'Oveur' Richardsson, veteran game journalist Jim Rossignol says, "It’s the one online game that is actually a ‘virtual world’ in any sense, and I feel as if every single player has left a mark on it in some way. Just like real life, we all have something to add, no matter how inconceivably microscopic that contribution might be."

To get the idea, you need only hear it from Richardsson's mouth, as he explains some very virtual world-y elements of EVE:

"It’s about creating a stronger foundation for the role-playing and social elements of EVE and to embrace the emergent gameplay. Okay, sorry for the buzzword soup! In more human terms, EVE is built upon social networks and we wanted to create a setting where that could be taken even further. It’s hugely player-driven, where all establishments are owned by players, including corporate offices for meeting, planning and recruiting, plus we hope to have venues like bars for karaoke or gambling. We then want to see what patterns emerge, what one really uses the in-station tools, props, scriptable NPCs, rooms and establishments for. Then we go with the flow. There is no combat there though, that happens outside the stations."

Raph Koster would surely agree that the future of virtual worlds will be determined by how the player base develops an autonomous society, and, more concretely, how their contributions actually help shape and grow the world.

To that end, Richardsson also comments on past allegations of corruption in the game's administration:

"We’ve always considered ourselves more as janitors than gods and feel that the power should be in the hands of the players to create empires, nations even. This is another (big) step towards realization of that vision and we sincerely hope it evolves into something great.

In a virtual society like EVE, there will always be differences of opinions, allegations of abuse of power (real or perceived) and an outcry for change. It’s a bit of a slippery slope in that while it validates the legitimacy of an online game’s value as a virtual society, it also presents us with some very real issues that have to be addressed."

A virtual society with player-created empires -- its own virtual world, indeed!

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]