CCP's PC online space trading/combat game EVE Online has reached a milestone, reporting a record peak of 45,186 concurrent users on its single-shard server.

"It is truly a testament to our loyal fans that 5 years into EVE's existence we are still breaking records and more people are flying in New Eden than ever before," said the company, announcing the record via EVE's official blog.

EVE Online, which launched in 2003, exceeded 240,000 active subscribers earlier in 2008 as it celebrated its fifth anniversary with year-over-year gains in its userbase.

The game now features a player-driven democratic society via its elected Council of Stellar Management, and an elaborate in-game economy watched over by former real-world economist Dr. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson.

In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Gudmundsson said the EVE's single-shard server is essential to the nature of the game, likening it to a "nation state, with all the institutions that come along with that."

[The preceding article by Leigh Alexander also appeared on Worlds in Motion sister site Gamasutra.]