They actually did it: EVE Online becomes the first videogame with Microsoft Excel integration

pcgamer.com:

Those lunatics in Reykjavik have only gone and done it. EVE Online developer CCP games has always had an element of self-knowledge about it, and a unique relationship with its community, who love and loathe EVE with a life-overtaking ardour. One of the long-running gags about the game is that it's really just «spreadsheets in space» and, after announcing the collaboration a while ago, EVE Online has, 20 years after release, become the first videogame to seamlessly integrate Microsoft Excel, the world's favourite spreadsheet software.

Excel is now a free add-on for EVE Online, and «enables you to effortlessly access and analyze your in-game data across all your accounts and characters». On the latter point, I was a non-serious EVE player and had multiple accounts and characters across them, so you can imagine just how much data the big boys are tracking. Once imported Excel will allow you to «create custom reports, graphs, and charts to gain deep insights into your in-game activities, track your progress, and strategize your next steps».

Any EVE player knows exactly what that means. Get ready for the corporate presentations! When I flew there was one wing commander who'd occasionally take a squad out, check our ship fits thoroughly, and make us all do roll call like a school assembly before the first warp: imagine what such a mind will do with this power.

CCP says, somewhat optimistically, that this new tool «brings added fairness and accessibility to everyone». And it really is a first, don't take my word for it:

«CCP Games has extensive experience in the MMO space, so it’s only natural that we collaborate with them to launch the first-ever native Microsoft Excel add-in for a video game,» said Catherine Pidgeon,