EVE to be bundled with cable modem services

Simon & Schuster has today announced plans for a new marketing program that will see copies of EVE Online: The Second Genesis being distributed through cable operators. The arrangement, which is intended to drive subscriptions of high-speed data cable modem services for cable television operators as well as for the game, will begin in September and run through December. Participating operators will receive copies of the game at a substantially reduced price, and will then be free to distribute them to both new and existing subscribers.

"After seeing a demo of EVE the implications were clear to me," said Chip James, founder of Armillary Holdings. "Cable operators have been searching for a vehicle that would entice subscribers to upgrade their service. EVE hits the mark on so many levels, and cable operators will now have the medium to carry the message to the consumers. Rarely have I come across two businesses that can benefit so much from each other's operations. This program is just the beginning."

To play EVE Online, players are required to pay a monthly subscription fee to the developer CCP Games. The cable system will get a share of any revenues generated from the monthly fees of subscribers signing up as a result of the promotion.

EVE Online: The Second Genesis is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game in which players can create their own character and explore a vast science-fiction universe. For more information on the game, which was released in May, check out our full review.