How gamers lost 400,000 fighting a huge virtual space war
Gamers lost an estimated £400,000 (roughly $500,000 USD) during a massive, multi-year conflict in the space-simulation MMO EVE Online that peaked with a devastating virtual war in June 2025.
How "Real Money" is Lost
The astronomical financial figures reported by outlets like the BBC do not mean players had cash pulled from their bank accounts during the battle. Instead, the loss is calculated using PLEX (Pilot License Extension) , an in-game item that players purchase with real-world currency. Because PLEX can be traded on the in-game open market for the game's standard currency (ISK), every…
The skinny
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