Basically, you've just ignored any signs of discussion found on those 5 pages (there are some, I've checked) and have re-written your OP basically.
Nice argument there.

My answer can be summarized in this handy clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yqUpypQwGs

But to paraphrase; this is false. And rumor mongering. Technically that is not allowed but I feel that locking or removing the thread would not have the desired effect.

CCP makes 5 USD extra for every time someone uses a PLEX. It should actually be in CCP's interest for the price to remain low, causing more people to be able to buy PLEX.

Please stop saying PLEX equals a free account, because it's not. Someone, somewhere, pays for it somewhere down the line.

The OP is right . . . kinda . . .

CCP doesn't create ISK out of thin air for CCP ALt, use that alt to buy plex, and then trash to PLEX.

Come on people . . . That would be "morally ambigous" and the consequences of being caught would destroy the customer trust and ultimately their business. CPP has worked out a much more ingenious plan . . .

1) CCP creates ISK out of thin are and gives it to PLAYERS (bounties, Incursions). To the tune of +20 Trillion ISK/month

2) Players realize that inflation is quickly eroding the value of their ISK

3) Players convert ISK to PLEX, the "gold standard" of eve.

4) Instead of storing billions of ISK that they will never use, players now stockpile stacks of PLEX that they will never use.

5) All of those un-used PLEXs are a zero intrest loan that CCP may/may not have to repay (provide service) in the future. More importantly, it is revenue that they can book without having to provide a service for.

How much is this worth to CCP?
Assuming that half of the 20 Trillion ISK/month that CCP injects into the economy each month gets converted to PLEX and stored in a JITA hanger, CPP is getting loaned over 250K per month by it's "eve rich" users. With a reported revenue of 66 million last year (from the interwebs, not sure if it's true), 3 million per year would equal ~4% gross margin shift. That's a successful/unsuccessful IPO sort of swing in gross margin. Don't think for a second that CCP doesn't have a lot riding on this Plex Trade.

Was this CCP's original plan? Probably not.

Are they going to do everything they can to encourage it to continue. Most certainly.

This is it in a nutshell. I know its hard to believe that CCP would do this but do you not remeber the famous memo....GREED IS GOOD!!! How do we End this charade of CCP's? Real easy stop using plex boycott it entirely. I dare you to ask CCP to remove plex from the game I know what there answer will be..... HELL NO .

If my memory serves me right CCP fired one of their own employs after their internal security team discovered he was using his power to help ppl ingame so its highly unlikely that they would decide to do something like that on a larger scale, that would make their security team obsolute.Pure logic.

If I had the isk, I'd buy every single PLEX off the market & trash them just to annoy you even more.

LOL. Spoken like a goon.

Though It wouldn't annoy me at all.
Sure, I use PLEX because ISK has no inherent value to me.
High PLEX prices are fine. If its 1 Bill or 600M ISK, I'll pay it as long as I feel like it.

I'd much rather other scrubs were wasting their real money and I'll provide the play money.

I'm just pointing out that CCP is probably just doing this directly to save on server costs.
In fact, they'd probably be considered poor businessmen if they weren't doing it.

Why stress these servers when you can just print ISK? The fithy unwashed player base probably won't notice anyway, with all the other ISK inflation going on.

Ah this thread is a perfect example of the amusing nonsense in general discussion that keeps me coming back for more laughs. I haven't been able to find another source of intellectual debate of this level since GW Bush was the president in the states.

Of course.....buying and trashing PLEX = win for CCP on many levels.

PLEX becomes more scarce, which reduces outstanding liabilities for CCP.
(Each PLEX in player hands represents a promise to provide a service)
Theoretically each PLEX on the market represents a 1 month subscription that won't be paid in the future.
Erasing them (by any means, Aurum, face shaping, direct trashing, etc...) is beneficial, as it reduces hardware loads.

People who buy PLEX for ISK resale think they win, because OMG, 1 Billion ISK for a PLEX!
More cash flows into the coffers.

Because the hidden cost is that your ISK isn't worth nearly as much, as it is being rapidly devalued through this type of manipulation.

Sure, CCP stated that market value is determined by 'the players'. But if CCP creates an alt (or several) with hundreds of billions of ISK to hand out like Christmas candy - isn't that a 'player'? Who is to say otherwise? Sellers are hardly going to notice, and wouldn't be able to prove otherwise, without being labelled Mr. TinFoilHat.

Wake up kiddies, this IS EVE ONLINE , not hello Kitty online. The rules are in place to make prices rise, people use this all the time with all the game items including PLEX. Bart Starr, you are a rabble rouser, you have no facts, to back your ignorant statement. If you cannot afford to play EVE get down the road. I even remember the thread where many people conspired to raise the price of plex, I know several people who helped out, they bought a lot of plex at low cost and sold it at a higher price.


This is EVE dude, stop your tin foil crying and go play or back to something more your style, like My Little ponies online, my grand daughter loves this game, based on your tears I am betting you will fit right in.

Now, this isn't a complaint. I want PLEX to be as expensive as possible because I don't think 'perse auki' scrubs should be able to fly for free.

That said, PLEX price surges are easy to explain.

A PLEX is simply a 'gift certificate' for game time. A player pays currency and gets a PLEX.
The PLEX represents a promise from CCP provide 30 days of server resources (or AURUM) to the bearer.
Destruction of PLEX is the equivalent of tearing up these 'gift certificates' - or flushing them down the toilet.
This makes CCP happy because they collected $$$ without having to provide a service. The gift certificate, though paid for, never will be redeemed.

So,
-CCP can create or remove ISK from the game at will. (We know this because of negative ISK accounts reported for RMTers.)
-PLEX are available on the open market for ISK, and CCP can create or destroy alts at will.

CCP simply creates ISK out of thin air, then buys them off the market (injecting ISK into the game), and then trashes them.

Result? PLEX prices go up.
CCP then invites players to buy more PLEX - for those players to sell on the market for ever higher amounts of ISK.

Of course, ISK inflation results as CCP pumps ISK into the system via PLEX buys.
But why would they care? They are earning cash without having to provide valuable 'server resources' for that cash.
All they have to do is provide ISK which is 'free'.....even though it erodes the buying power of everyone 'honestly' playing the game.

Simple. Corrupt. Profitable. And CCP is easily capable of it.
(Remember, this is the same company that quietly provided T2 Blueprints to favored Alliances. Then....BANNED Kugu for discovering the cancer and going public with it.)

You obviously didn't read my thread. Several times I stated that I am laughing at the situation.
IE: "This is what is happening, here is how its happening, I think its funny!"
Then I watch all the fanboys leap to defend CCP's 'honor'

"Tears" is more like "Wah, make PLEX cheaper, CCP!" And I never said any such thing. I don't really care what the prices are, except 'higher' is more entertaining because of all the drama.

I enjoy watching EVE players suffer, especially at the hands of the developers.
They've always been the best at it, after all.....

LOL. Spoken like a goon.

Though It wouldn't annoy me at all.
Sure, I use PLEX because ISK has no inherent value to me.
High PLEX prices are fine. If its 1 Bill or 600M ISK, I'll pay it as long as I feel like it.

I'd much rather other scrubs were wasting their real money and I'll provide the play money.

I'm just pointing out that CCP is probably just doing this directly to save on server costs.
In fact, they'd probably be considered poor businessmen if they weren't doing it.

Why stress these servers when you can just print ISK? The fithy unwashed player base probably won't notice anyway, with all the other ISK inflation going on.