I played EVE Online for a while in one of the largest groups in the game during a time we managed to steal a huge section of the map out from under another rival group. There is intense PVP action, as well as in depth PVE and crafting, just like any other well made MMO, but no matter the gameplay you decide to partake in, EVE really is nothing more than a spreadsheet with a really fancy GUI. And the fact that CCP allows the darker side of player interactions to take place results in some amazing stories coming out of the game, like this. The game is less about the game, and more about the players. Completely different than WoW, or more RPG oriented games.

The only reason that you hear about these kinds of things is because it is what makes this game so unique.