CCP Games, developer of EVE Online, in collaboration with the University of Iceland, has announced a new online course built around the long-running space MMOG and the relationships that form through it CCP has long been beating this particular drum, Pandemic has caused the company to lean even more into this concept, talking about the game as a "friendship machine." Sure enough, the course is called "Friendship Machine": forming a new type of human connection.

The course looks at the science behind how people form meaningful relationships and applies this to the new types of connections that video games enable. The first three weeks are free, but those who want to learn in earnest can enroll in the full course for $50/€40.91/£35.19. The great thing is that upon taking the course, you will receive a "shareable certificate". I shall post it on my office wall.

However, I am not being cynical about this course: the MMOG has produced some of the best player-driven stories in the industry, of which EVE is perhaps the prime example. This course should be a fascinating series of deep dives, with access to CCP's data and knowledge to analyze EVE's actual player stories.

"In the last few years, there has been growing concern that computer games may have serious negative effects on gamers' mental well-being and social skills," says Arcel Arnarson, professor of leisure studies at the University of Iceland and the course's leader. 'In some cases this may be true. But for the majority of those involved, research has actually shown that gameplay platforms work effectively as friendship-forming devices. Communication and information technologies can create alternative spaces for isolated individuals to meet across geographic and socioeconomic barriers.

The opening ceremony will be held at CCP Games in Reykjavik today at 5 pm CST / 11 am EST. Free registration is also available to access most of the materials.