Changing of the Guard

The news came as something of a blow when I found out that CCP Guard announced in a forum post his departure from CCP.  What do you say when that sort of thing comes to pass?

What does this even mean? And did he interview in that suit?

He has been for years the happy face of EVE Online, appearing in videos, streaming shows, and live events.

CCP Guard on the stream

And, of course, he was the front man for PermaBand.

It says in the info about that most (in)famous video, lyrics and vocals by Sveinn J Kjarval.  That’s CCP Guard.

Nobody is indispensable.  The company will go on.  He didn’t write code or design game mechanics after all.  But he was generally liked by the people who played the game and he was passionate about EVE Online.  I was on his team for a trivia contest at EVE Vegas a couple of years back and he was clearly carrying us posers with the depth of his knowledge of not just the game itself, but the player driven history thereof.  You are unlikely to have ever have been as into EVE Online as he was.

Hat tip to Rhavas…

In the end, he made the game a better place.

I am sure a lot of people have stories about him.  One thing I remember was back during the dark days of CSM 10 and the sparring between the community team that was their interface.  When it was announced that CCP Guard and CCP Logibro (another fine former member of the community team) would be taking over the management of the CSM, I remember thinking that things would get better.  CCP Guard simply inspired that confidence.  And things did get better.  A year later, as the election process for CSM 12 was ramping up, I noted how drama free CSM 11 had been under their stewardship.

I still have my own issues with the whole CSM idea, but CCP Guard helped at least make the best of what it was.

Anyway, CCP Guard, after 16 years with CCP, is moving on to a new opportunity.  He says in his post that it is time for him to take a chance after spending most of his adult life so far with one company, so it probably isn’t CCP Falcon continuing to purge anybody from the community team that is taller than him.

Pretty sure Falcon is standing on a box in this pic

While his departure no doubt makes a lot of people sad, you wish your space friends well when they go on to different things.

CCP Guard and I – EVE Vegas 2018

As he has often said, the best ship in EVE Online is friendship.

Other posts about CCP Guard’s departure:

 

6 thoughts on “Changing of the Guard”

  1. Random Poster

    Ok I watched that video and I have no idea what to say other than…. What?

    It always sucks when a community team member changes especially if it’s a front facing one like that. To be honest no matter the MMO that Community member is often the most front facing person of the team that you get to interact with and the next person can be completely different and it can totally change the tone of the conversation around your favorite game.

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  3. Nosy Gamer

    This really is the end of an era. I don’t think they have any of the crazy Icelanders left, unless CCP Bettik is still there. You have the more serious ones like Karkur. And calling Karkur serious might say something about Icelanders.

    @bhagpuss – Over the last two-three years, Permaband has turned into a pretty decent 80s cover band. I’ve seen them play live in Iceland and they do some good covers of Van Halen and Prince in addition to their original music.

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  4. Wilhelm Arcturus Post author

    There was definitely a period of time… from 2007 through to about 2010… when EVE Online was growing, CCP was expanding, and a pack of crazy Icelanders looked to be trying to take over the world. They would roll into GDC up in SF, rent out a club, and throw a huge, outrageous, would put EVE Vegas to shame, party for attendees. They bought up White Wolf, they had studios around the world, and it looked like it was all going to be great.

    And in the midst of that the HTFU video came out and a star was born. I’m sure lots of players knew who CCP Guard was before that video, but afterwards he was kind of a thing on his own.

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  5. flosch

    I can’t really add anything new to what was already said. I’ve been out of EVE for a long time now… I think “Killing is just a means” might have been the last (only?) Permaband song that came out while I was actively playing… and CCP Guard might be the last one of the old guard (yes yes, where’s the pun jar) I remember, or rather care about, from back then. Not a good sign.

    I wonder whether his departure was a reason for canceling the AT this year?

    On a completely unrelated note though… I never realized how tall you are! Granted, CCP Guard isn’t exactly tall, but you’re towering over him!

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