Massively multiplayer online games are an odd breed. They tend to 1) start big and then collapse 2) start big and get even bigger, and, now, with the announcement of EVE Onlines 50,000 customers, we know they can start small and grow large. Even against all odds. EVE Online is an open-ended MMG that doesn't require you to do much of anything but be yourself — in an intergalactic environment. The title didn't catch on at first. Official subscriber numbers are never easy to come by, but most estimates put it around 15,000 a few months after launch. I reviewed the game and was saddened by the idea of its failure. The fact that the title has caught on should show all of us that a good idea may not hit fast and hard. Sometimes we have to be patient. Publishers, take note.
