Today on The Meta Show, Aryth announced Imperium plans to make Period Basis a rental region. This confirms the speculation many have offered as the end game of the work of the last two months.
In recent months, The Imperium has applied pressure throughout New Eden in various forms. Often they have targeted the rental areas of their enemies. The space lords of these areas largely left the renters to fend for themselves and even imposed fines for losing ships in some cases. When you think about it, this is just a classic mafia-style protection racket without the protection. The only protection renters pay for is not getting attacked by their overlords. Renters had all the risk and very little of the reward.
Period Basis will work somewhat differently. The rental arrangement is as fair as you can be with the tools available in EVE Online. Renters will pay a minimal fee to join and be allowed access to Period Basis. There will be no monthly fees for rental.
The Imperium controls the region’s infrastructure. This allows the Imperium to tax those corporations using Period Basis for ratting and mining just like Imperium member-corps. Goonswarm has long possessed the internal systems to manage a region in this way.
Based on this design, corporations residing in Period Basis will not be limited to stay in systems they chose to rent. They will have full run of the entire region. Goonswarm will maintain control of most if not all moons in the area for Locust Fleet.
While rates and fees are yet to be disclosed, the costs were said to be at a steep discount compared to current rental rates elsewhere. With low fees, supplied infrastructure and the freedom to roam the region this new offer seems to be a good deal for smart renters.
