Gorila Vengaza: Ramifications

For those of you who do not already know, on the evening of 12/23/2014 (US time), the Anti-ganking and Gank-intel channels were taken over by CODE. using the account of Gorila Vengaza who had moderator access to the channels.  It was fairly obvious it was done from his account based on some of the things that were said in the channel, such as this:

[ 2014.12.24 06:03:42 ] Gorila Vengaza > Kill: Krauss Koskanaiken (Mackinaw) OOPZ
 
What's not as clear is what happened behind the screen of the Gorila Vengaza account.  But none of the possibilities are innocent, and all of them paint CODE. in an even worse light than has ever been the case before.  I will summarize the various possibilities below.  I also submitted a ticket to CCP asking them if they would restore the channels back to one of the other original moderators.  I felt that was a reasonable request without knowing more.  But the AG community may end up just having to start new channels.

So what are the possible options of what happened?

1. Gorila switched sides.
2. Gorila is a double agent.
• Gorila was a double agent from the start and never really on the AG side.
• Gorila is a double agent for the AG side.
3. Gorila's account was hacked/stolen by members of CODE.

Gorila Switched Sides

It's possible Gorila simply switched sides.  He has always held CODE. in higher regard than many others in the AG community.  He has frequently stated how he believes in game activity does not reflect on people in real life, and he is quick to pick fights with those on the AG side who he feels are too obnoxious (for example, Veers and the Ganking Is Bullying crowd).

What would surprise me about this possibility is that Gorila would allow events to unfold as they did, with the takeover of the AG channels in particular.  These are legacy channels joined by hundreds of people.  To do this would be shockingly dishonorable towards the Eve community as a whole.  I've never been one to jump on the ban badwagon, but if this is what happened, a suspension of even a ban of his account would be reasonable for what amounts to vandalism against Eve.  If control of the channels was promptly and voluntarily returned to other original channel moderators, then a warning might would be sufficient.

Gorila is a Double Agent

This possibility can go one of two ways.  The more likely being that Gorila was never really on the AG side and served as a double agent for CODE.  What seems unlikely about this is a long history of kills against CODE.  If this is what happened, much like the Gorila switching sides scenario, I believe their is reasonable cause for CCP to temporarily suspend or even permanently ban his account for the same reasons as in the Gorila switching sides scenario (again lessened to as little as a warning if control was returned promptly and voluntarily).

Other interesting possibility, although probably the least likely of them all, is that Gorila has faked switching sides, and is actually beginning a campaign to infiltrate CODE. in an attempt to do serious internal damage to them once granted authority within their ranks.  However, once again the case for vandalism may still apply.  If this were proven to be true, it might not warrant as serious a reprimand.

Either way, and beyond this situation, I don't know why anyone ever willingly becomes a double agent.  The problem with being a double agent is that no one is on your side.  You can't trust your enemy you are infiltrating, and those who you intend to serve can't trust you.  Simply put, once double agent activity becomes highly suspected, you lose all credibility.  No one can trust anything you say ever again.  Credibility is one of the few things that matter in this world, be it in game or in real life, and it's reckless to throw it away.  What would we be able to believe that has been said by Gorila?  Everything he has ever said in the past suddenly becomes suspect. 

Gorila's Account Was Hacked

This possibility is arguably the most damning to CODE.  At first, I thought this is what had happened, but based on other people I have talked to so far, it's starting to look as though this is not what actually happened.  Still, I can't be sure yet.  If this is to have happened, it would likely mean a violation of the Eula and worse. 

How would they attack his account?  It would most likely be from collecting information from him and having either guessed his password based on knowledge of him or possibly even Gorila giving his account password to someone he thought he could trust.  When you think about what events transpired over the past year, you think about points where Gorila may have been more vulnerable to someone violating his trust.  You think of the loss of his spouse, and how he said some of the CODE. people were very compassionate towards him in those difficult times.  You start to think CODE. may have used that event to leverage information out of him.  The picture gets real ugly real quick.  If this were the case, it could mean real life crimes being committed.  It could mean political fallout, not just in game, but in real life.  It could mean national news stories.  It could mean the suspension or ban of possibly every CODE. affiliated account there is.

Fallout

Whatever the case, it reflects poorly on CODE.  And I mean, even more poorly than is usually the case.  And in all but the last case, it reflects poorly on Gorila Vengaza as well.  There will likely be fallout from this, and not in CODE's favor.  For the first time since I started playing Eve almost 10 months ago, I feel CODE. has finally crossed a line they should not have crossed. 

As Gorila himself has said repeatedly in the past "I have always believed that how you play a game has NOTHING to do with who you are in RL".  I accepted this as possible in the past, but suddenly it is brought into question.  It doesn't matter which of the possibilities are actually the truth.  These events have transcended CODE. role playing as bad guys into actually being bad guys.

I hope these events finally push others of honor and respect to finally stop standing on the side lines and stand up against CODE. and those who would support them.  Everything from attacking them in game to getting their accounts banned suddenly seems reasonable.  Whatever happens, the days ahead will heavily impact Eve history and where it goes from here.

Anti-ganking Channel Update

It appears as though, through whatever means, the Anti-ganking channel has now been reclaimed by rightful moderators.   As for the disposition of Gorila Vengaza, the general consensus so far appears to be option 1 above, that he simply threw his honor in the trash and switched sides.