Prognostication

I think that's a word.  Not totally sure...  I know, "To the internets batman!"... prognostication... what do you know, it IS a word.

Anyways, As the astute can guess I'm going to prognosticate on the impact SWTOR will have on EVE online.  And I'm going to say it's limited.  If anything all it should do is slow EVE's recovery from the 18months of madness.  The initial indications are good, and if CCP can keep up and do a few good patches post Crucible (like oh, say get out the assault frigate's 4th bonus in Crucible 1.1 for example), then follow it up with a above par patch in the summer 2012 (like say some rather engaging interaction with the dust bunnies along with some continuation of the revamp of older EVE systems).  I'll say they have gone a good long way to repairing their relationship with their customers (it's like any long term relationship - there's going to be spats along the way - sometime serious - sometimes not).  Takes communications.

Why I think EVE will not be greatly impacted by SWTOR:  In a word, WoW.  From all reports SWTOR is an arch standard, diku mud derivative MMO very similar in overall features to World of Warcraft and it's ilk.  The thing to remember about EVE is that it's a VERY different beast from a traditional themepark MMO.  It's community is different.  It's feel is different.  It's core demographics are rather different.  EVE appeals to the griefer and/or the older gamer interested in a complex social game with just about limitless possibilities where you are responsible for your destiny in game.  There are a sub-set of both of those who are probably also SW fanboys who are just marking time until the next SW MMO appears, but I think they will be found to be the minority.

WoW on the other hand may see serious subscriber flow, due to the similarities in mechanism and the fact that their core demographics probably have more of an overlap.  The big question I have is "How bit and bad will the rebound be?  Time will tell.