EVE Online hits 50k concurrent users with its free-to-play shift

Players who want to jump in on EVE Online without paying for it now have the option to do just that; the game’s most recent patch allows for a limited form of free play. It turns out that attracted more than a few players, as the game hit 50k concurrent players during the first week of the patch. This exceeds the game’s highest concurrency count in 2015, although it still falls shy of the all-time record of roughly 65k back in 2013.

The verdict is still out on whether or not these added players will prove profitable or stick around for the long run, of course, but it should be clear that the game has at least attracted a fair number of curious players with the shift. If you’re one of the new players driving up those concurrency numbers, you may want to take a gander at some tips to make the most out of your experience.