Behind all the memes, myths, and misinformation surrounding the “free vacation to Iceland” enjoyed by players elected to the CSM, there is a hidden truth—kept under lock and key by ironclad Non-disclosure agreements in addition to multiple layers of operational security and cover stories. Breaking the silence and piercing the veil is a former member of CSM 11 who has agreed to share this information with us under the condition of anonymity:
NOTE: The individual who risked serious legal repercussions for violating their NDA will henceforth be referred to in the article as “Banks”.
Banks provided us with several documents detailing flight plans, itineraries, and expenditures related to his participation in the CSM 11 summits. We cannot release the documents in full without exposing the identity of Banks so we have carefully selected portions of the summit that more than three members of CSM 11 participated in to discuss in this article. One document details four members of CSM 11 going on a retreat to Deplar Farm in Skagafjörður; the document outlines the costs of lodging, heli-skiing, travel, food and something called “special hospitality”. Most noteworthy is that the “special hospitality” costs almost twice the cost of lodging per person for a staggering €4,608, that would mean that whatever this additional expense is for, the same amount of money could be used to pay for two nights at the farm. When asked what this service was, Banks told us only that he is a wealthy man and made use of the service several times in addition to what CCP had already allotted payment for and paid for these additional sessions out of pocket.
Another document details first class airfare for all members and an included “Saga Gold” membership for all summit attendees. When the council members arrive at the Keflavik airport they are greeted by a representative of a concierge service. The CSM is then driven by limousine from the airport to the lodgings of their choosing. Banks emphasizes that if a member of the CSM were to choose lodging that was not within 2 hours travel distance of the CCP offices, a virtualization suite would be used to telecommute to the summit. He goes on to explain that “every single place we stayed at had Sparc, Eve Valkyrie and an assortment of VR equipment to use for either connecting to the summit sessions or playing CCPs latest cash grab.”
Banks goes on to explain that the majority of the CSMs time in Iceland is spent attending tours, tastings, spas and other luxurious outings that in his words “Have nothing to do with EVE Online or the CSM.” He explains that the reason behind meeting minutes taking so long to reach the player base and being so parsimonious when they do, is because they are largely a fabrication. “Meeting minutes is just another cover. It’s bullsh*t really; sure,some of it is true. But 99% of it is made up to fill time gaps after all of us are already back home”. He references a specific document in the summit care package that indicates CCP has had a partnership with Extreme Iceland since as early as CSM 3 and many of the tours offered to members of CSM like Golden Circle are part of this tourism company. Banks explains that for every CSM that chooses to attend a tour sold through Extreme Iceland the coordinator of that tour is giving 200 million skill points for an EVE character of their choosing.
Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the documents provided by our source is a series of summit videos taken by CSM coordinators and members of the community team at Blue Lagoon. One video taken at the second summit depicts a member of CSM 11 in a verbal altercation with Banks. In this argument, the unnamed individual is almost completely naked except for half empty cartons of skyr affixed to his head. He berrates Banks for being “Greedy and dishonest”, before sauntering off calmly as though no conflict had occurred. “We were at the black pearl and **** just starts ripping his clothes off complaining about the heat and yelling at everybody. They won’t let us stay there anymore.”
First class flights, secret retreats, and an elaborate series of cutouts to fool the voting public; it’s doubtful that CSM 15 will be any different. Perhaps now that people know the truth there will be reforms and changes to the systemic corruption within CCP and the CSM.
