Acronyms dictionary
ISK
or isk [isk] or [ahy-es-key]
What does ISK mean?
ISK stands for InterStellar Kredits, the in-game currency of the online role-playing game EVE Online.
It’s also the code for the Icelandic currency, the króna.
Related words:
- Ethereum
- ISK farming
- ISK mining
- Monopoly money
Where does ISK come from?
ISK is the currency code for the Icelandic króna (Ísland króna in Icelandic, hence the S). It’s been the official currency of Iceland since 1874.
Online gamers, though, are more likely to recognize ISK as the fictional currency for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), EVE Online. It’s currency symbol is Ƶ.
EVE was launched in May, 2003 by the company CCP. The online game sets teams against each other in battles in outer space. EVE Online is known for its complexity, described variously as “spreadsheets in space” or “a captivating universe of unprecedented depth and magnitude.”
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The in-game currency, InterStellar Kredits or ISK, is used to purchase supplies and upgrades needed for exploration and battle. The name InterStellar Kredits is a reference to the outer-space setting of the game. The acronym ISK itself is also likely a nod to the currency of CCP’s hometown of Reykjavík, Iceland.
Examples of ISK
Who uses ISK?
CCP has reported that there were 500,000 EVE Online, and therefore ISK, users in February, 2013, with up to 36,000 daily players in the late 2010s. According to a May, 2017 analysis, those users collectively held over 1-quadrillion ISK—1,000,000,000,000,000. That’s a lot of ISK.
Users earn ISK through gameplay (referred to ISK farming) by training, mining, or completing missions. Players can also purchase ISK through a game service called PLEX. Unfortunately, some players exploit loopholes in the game to purchase excessive amounts of ISK or sell ISK for real-world currency. One such unlucky user lost about 100,000 Danish kroner (approximately $19,000) trying to buy ISK from a shady off-market dealer.
ISK is sometimes referred to as EVE ISK.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of ISK like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ISK that will help our users expand their word mastery.