A Fanfest-attending journalist sums it up quite perfectly in this great article about EVE's successes.
"EVE is about going your own way, in your own time, for your own reasons. EVE isn't great because of the preset story, it's the player-made tales that set it apart."
How EVE Online Still Thrives, 10 Years Later – IGN
www.ign.com
An in-depth look at the fascinating gameplay systems and human politics that have kept EVE Online growing for the past decade.