Corporations are groups of players in EVE Online, and alliances are groups of corporations. They are EVE Online’s take on the clans or guilds seen in many other MMOs, and offer a way for players to join under one banner to meet new people, take part in group activities and events, and share their passion for the game with like-minded pals. Every corp or alliance is different, and depending on the type of player you are, there's sure to be one that caters to your preferred playstyle. And while that sounds all fine and dandy, there are downsides as well as upsides to being part of these groups, and they aren’t all obvious until after you’ve made your commitments. 

That’s why we asked our community of long-time EVE players to weigh up the pros and cons of corp/alliance life, so you know exactly what it entails and whether it’s the right life for you. They identified four positives and four negatives - let’s dive in.

Pro: It's a great way to learn the game

EVE Online can, famously, be a bit daunting for new players to get into. Even after playing for a while, it can feel like you'll never catch up with some of the more advanced players, so why not get their help? If you want to learn the ropes, there’s no substitute for flying with a group of veterans who can give you direct, personal advice as situations arise. "A corp, especially a small corp of good players, can give you great support and really accelerate your learning of the game," says capt-fishbones "This has been my experience with my corp, which has fewer than 20 people. We have a blast, go on roams, and they've really upped my play quickly."

Con: You'll become a target

On the other hand, capt-fishbones compares joining a corp or alliance to joining a gang - they have enemies, as the good captain knows all too well from their corp’s affiliation with Goonsquad, the most notorious alliance in EVE. By making new friends you will inherit their enemies, making you , "an Instant Target."  The good captain acknowledges that, in theory, alliance members will support and defend one another - which is a nice idea, especially if you're into a bit of roleplaying - but says that in practice, you're probably on your own more often than not. This risk can vary depending on the intensity of your alliance’s relationships, both with its enemies and within its membership, but it’s something to be aware of.

Pro: It opens up new content

As you progress further into the game and start taking on more advanced content, you'll almost certainly need support from other players to tackle much of it. Whether it's PvE or PvP, it's easier to do most things in a group. As Kraken puts it, an alliance "comes in handy when you want to start delving into the much deeper PvE stuff that requires fleets of ships, and planning for these becomes a bit easier. Then there is the world of PvP, in which you can start delving into war decking and territory claim/expansion, which creates some great moments in the history of the game.” These are the moments that can “make headlines” within the EVE community and sometimes even beyond; it must feel incredible to be a part of them, and it’s really hard to have that kind of impact if you’re acting by yourself.

Con: Time commitment

Corps and alliances are commitments, and the bigger the group, or the more determined it is to make an impact on EVE, the more demanding they tend to be of their members. They "do effectively run like a business”, says Kraken, and “time is money”, both to them and to you. You have to make a call about how much of your life you’re prepared to dedicate: if you want to become an influential figure in a powerful alliance, it’ll take you a long time to get there, and as you advance, you'll be required to dedicate more of your time to your alliance. That means being available to take part in events and potentially helping to organise them, and if you have to step away for real-world stuff, you could find yourself booted from your corp with no way to recover certain in-game assets you had invested. "Active participation requires a significant time commitment, and the intensity of group activities can potentially lead to burnout", says AlexLeporiday echoing Kraken’s sentiments.

Pro: Having shared goals

FUN INC and LukaZaharin both agree that one major upside of an alliance is being around players who share your goals. If you’re wholly new to EVE Online you might not have any specific goals yet, but most players will develop a bucket list as they learn the game - to see how that process might unfold, check out our EVE Online survival tips, which is designed to take new players from their first login to finding their feet in New Eden and figuring out what actually want to accomplish. Once you know what your goals are, finding a group of players who share them will mean that you can pool your efforts and expertise to achieve them together, as well as keep you all motivated. 

Con: Following orders

But what if your goals aren’t shared? Many corps and alliances have their own objectives, and if you don’t share them, they’re not likely to help with yours. Worse, if the corp has a strong central leadership, you might find yourself being told what to do, something that LukaZaharin credits as the reason they're not in a player collective at the moment. Sturmer notes that "some of these corporations take the game too seriously, forgetting what should be the core of any game - having fun. These corps are all about obedience, order, obligations, and high commitments; I call them "army" corps." Kshal Aideron backs this up, saying "after seeing my husband out in the blue doughnut, not getting to play how he wanted all the time or shoot who he wanted, I was determined to play solo", though they did manage to find a corp that they liked in the end. It’s all about finding an alignment, or a compromise, that you can live with.

Pro: Making friends

This is the pro that was suggested the most, and it's not hard to see why. There's nothing stopping you from playing EVE solo, and more power to you if that's how you enjoy it, but as millions of players of great MMOs throughout history will tell you, there’s nothing quite like finding yourself a community in a video game. LukaZaharin says "I am still always happy to encounter pilots I flew with when I was a very young player and I met people I would consider real friends on my way in New Eden". Rixx Javix was "determined to stay solo and forge my own destiny among the stars" at first, but caught the corp bug, and is still friends with the leader of the corp they joined 16 years ago. "Nothing is more powerful in EVE Online than being part of a group you feel empowered by," they say. Indeed, given the nature of EVE - its depth, its intensity, its level of risk - we’d wager that the bonds forged between players in high-performing corps are among the most enduring and fulfilling of any MMO.

Con: Not everyone will be friendly

While there's little better than finding your people, there's little worse than ending up with the wrong crowd, as RixxJavix concedes. AlexLeporiday backs this up, stating that your experience can often be tainted by certain players in an alliance: "Social dynamics can sometimes lead to drama or conflict, and there's always a slight risk of encountering dishonest individuals." Finding a group that has everything you want is a true joy, but it can be difficult, according to LukaZaharin, so it’s wise to learn what you can about what kind of alliance you're joining, who the other members are, and what the dynamics are like - and if you see any red flags, to act on them early before you get too invested. 

Ultimately, players will differ in what they want out of EVE Online. Whereas someone might love playing solo and be happy to stay out of alliance politics, another may want to make friends, or lead huge fleets into galaxy-shaping battles. Before you consider joining a corp or an alliance, you should be clear on what you want from your time in New Eden, and then bear these pros and cons in mind as you shop around for a group that’s right for you - and don’t be afraid to leave during the early days if something feels off! 

If you do decide to join a player group, you might want to check out our article on how EVE’s corp leaders recruit new members, just so you can nail the interview. It’s not all about your preferences, you know.

Did we miss any major pros or cons of player groups in EVE Online that you’d like to add? Do any of these resonate with you, and do you have further examples to back them up? Are you happy with your corp or alliance? Speak up in the comments!

Some text has been edited for brevity, clarity, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You can find the original wording at the reward thread here. Image credit: CCP Games and Razorien on Flickr.