The EVE Online Isk universe is inhabited by many peoples and diverse personalities, the most varied of which are the capsule pilots in their self-made societies. The core empires are controlled by powerful men and women, sitting at the apex of corporate and government power structures. The destinies of trillions living on the planets of the Amarr Empire, Caldari State, Gallente Federarion and Minmatar Republic are in the hands of these rulers and the forces they command. The peoples of the empires strive to survive and prosper in an age of extremes. While they acknowledge those who rule in the core worlds, the toiling populations both fear and admire the most extreme personalities of all: the capsuleers.

Capsuleer technology is in use in all the empires and there are independent pilots from all the major races. While some capsuleers choose to remain loyal to their home empires, many have taken very different paths and operate beyond the core and often beyond the law. Fame and fortune can be found as a loyalist  in The EVE Online Isk, to be sure, but the most notorious and well-known pilots are very often outer region warlords, pirates or freedom fighters. Some capsuleers have even found fame with the extreme opposite of loyalism, advocating anarchy and libertarian posthumanism. Yet others have taken darker paths, supporting the outlaw cartels of the Angels, Guristas and Serpentis. Even Sansha's Nation has its capsuleer adherents.