is piracy dead?

Of course not, but the rules of engagement have definitely changed a bit.

There are tons of EVE piracy related blogs out there. Hell, I even started one myself, though I'm nowhere near able to yarr effectively alone. If you read any of them, you've probably noticed the same thing that I have over the course of the past two weeks.

They've gone awfully quiet...

Factional Warfare in EVE has brought hordes of empire and 0.0 pilots into low-sec. You'd think that the pirates would be salivating at this, and initially, I'm sure they were. However, pirates are opportunists and danger freaks. They like to live on the edge, but at the same time, they try to stack the deck in their own favor whenever they can. It's a whole different ballgame when you are flashy red to everyone in the sector and there are 25 people in local instead of 5.

Gangs and proper fleets are invading these spaces and when they run out of enemy faction ships to blow up, they tend to go marauding. Anyone flashy red gets popped.

End result. I can go into low-sec again.

Also end result (and not quite so good for me) my horribly expensive shuttles aren't selling anymore since the pirates aren't hanging out in the red pockets waiting for people anymore.

I might have to find a more lucrative sideline. Perhaps I'll start selling 'second-best' named gear in contested systems..