This year marks the twentieth anniversary of EVE Online, a unique MMO renowned for its epic tales of player battles and conquests. While many have experienced its in-game adventures firsthand, others are familiar with it from a distance. With the recent buzz around the metaverse, it seems EVE Online is already a step ahead. The game embodies the essence of a second universe, brimming with stories that have become the stuff of myths and legends on the internet.
I’ve tried playing EVE Online multiple times over the years. I first downloaded it in university, shortly after its early 2000s launch, and tried building my space empire. Although the game seemed perfect for me, its steep learning curve always held me back. Despite the game’s vast content and the intimidating approach of hardcore players, I remained fascinated by its awe-inspiring scope. EVE Online isn’t a game where you instantly become a space captain; you must earn your place in its universe. As you progress, you immerse yourself deeper into the world EVE envisions.
Despite how epic the concept of the game was, the sheer amount of content on offer can quickly become overwhelming, and the ruthless way the most hardcore players approach the game quickly became a wall I could not overcome. Despite my problems, I could never get over the fact that EVE Online felt like a game that was amazing in concept and truly awe-inspiring in scope. This is not a game you just jump into and end up as a space captain ready to take on empires; you have to earn your place in the universe, and with each step of your journey, the more you grow to embrace the world EVE is trying to imagine.
“EVE Online isn’t a game where you instantly become a space captain; you must earn your place in its universe.”
Now, years later, the potential of EVE is more exciting than ever. The big thing that everyone at CCP Games kept saying was the phrase ‘EVE Forever,’ and more than just a marketing slogan, it is a promise for the future of the game. This is a year full of announcements for the game, including a new FPS module called EVE Vanguard, a new expansion called Havok, as well as many talks exploring the past year in the game and a glimpse into the future of EVE.
Online games, especially EVE Online, draw players because of their communities and the challenges they present. In a recent conversation, Hilmar Veigar Pétursson delved deep into this essence. He explained, “The concepts of money, law, government, democracy, and gender identities are human inventions. By examining games, we try to understand life. Notably, online gamers often have more friends than non-gamers. This might stem from the game’s challenging nature, where one mistake can have significant consequences. In such environments, trustworthy friends become invaluable.”
While there is much to be excited about from an outsider’s perspective, it is clear to fans of the game that this is just a glimpse into the future of EVE, and fans could not have been happier. This is a game that, against all odds, has not only survived but thrived, all thanks to the players who give its world a life unlike any other MMO currently available. It is a complex universe with an economy, professions, roles and, above all, endless potential.
EVE Online is a game that feels very much like a chance to live out any vision of yourself that you might have, and with each new addition to the game, the potential for the game becomes more expansive. Now, 20 years on, there are more options than ever before, but even with the options, it is also more accessible than ever. While the hardcore players are the people behind some of the most exciting stories and battles, the community and improvements are all part of why the game is more welcoming than ever.
Announced at EVE Fanfest, Havoc is the latest expansion to the game, giving players new ways to experience EVE in new and exciting ways. With the ability to play as the Pirate faction, along with new ships and ways to play, the developers at CCP Games have listened to the community and are constantly working to build a world that feels more real and full of potential than the real world. EVE Online is an MMO that empowers its players to live the lives they want, be it a warlord, politician, or even something as mundane as a miner, and that is all part of the magic.
As I walked the halls of the EVE Fanfest, despite being filled with a wide range of people from different countries, walks of life, and even ages, one thing remained consistent, and that is the excitement and drive for the game they all play. Unlike many MMOs, EVE Online is more than a simple story that players simply accept as it is. It is a game that welcomes everyone and begs you to ask what you want from a game. Despite its intimidating and ruthless reputation, EVE‘s players are some of the most welcoming and accepting you will ever find.
“EVE Online is a game that feels very much like a chance to live out any vision of yourself that you might have.”
At EVE Fanfest, the passion for the universe of EVE Online is electric. Many attendees express how the game has positively impacted their lives despite its challenges. Echoing this sentiment, Hilmar shared, “It’s validating to realize that we were right all along. This endeavour wasn’t a waste of time or a detriment to the world. I can now confidently state that the online platform has been a positive force in the world. With 22 million participants, the majority have come away feeling like they’ve made a friend or experienced personal growth.”
Despite my time with the game in the past, my vision of EVE Online has changed in ways I never expected. I have always loved the concept of the game as an outsider, even if my attempts to dive in never worked out as I had hoped, but now I have a sense of how rich the game really is and how it is a deep and exciting community. From the many corporations to the epic battles that feel right out of a history book, EVE Online is more than a game. It is a community and a simulation that demands your attention.
Talking to the many developers who work at CCP Games to the fans who travelled thousands of miles to be at the event, the one consensus is the dedication and love the community has for everyone in EVE Online. There were many stories of players trying to reach out to struggling players and even how the community mourned when one of their own was lost. It was enough to move even the most stone-faced reporters to shed a tear and make the brutal, merciless space game something much more human.
The new stories for the Havok expansion sound exciting. It is a chance to go beyond what has been seen before and give players many of the things they have been asking for in the game for years. But even with all they plan to bring to the game, it pales in comparison to the countless stories I got a taste of at EVE Fanfest, many of which sounded too incredible and chaotic to be something that could have happened by chance. It feels very much like a space opera with more lore than any writer could ever hope to write.
The quest to build a metaverse—a new reality for people to immerse themselves in—will always be ongoing. However, it can’t merely serve as a platform for corporations to market their latest products or as a virtual mall. It needs to be a space where a community can actively participate and contribute. Hilmar captured this sentiment succinctly, saying, “Many attempts at creating a metaverse fall short because people don’t want to enter a space where they can’t contribute.”
Now, 20 years after its launch and with no end in sight, EVE Online is more exciting than ever. With space popes, pirates, ruthless strategy and fragile alliances, there is a depth to the game unlike any other available today. This is a game built by a team driven to deliver a world of excitement and fueled by the players who spend countless hours carving out their place among the stars. It may not be for everyone, and it still has a learning curve that can take some time to overcome, but it is something that is well worth the effort.
“This is a game built by a team driven to deliver a world of excitement and fueled by the players who spend countless hours carving out their place among the stars.”
Reflecting on Hilmar’s perspective of EVE Online and its significance to people globally, his words resonate deeply. He described, “EVE Online stands as a testament to human ingenuity in creating flexible social constructs. Insects, while capable of large-scale constructs, lack adaptability. Monkeys can achieve flexibility, but not on a vast scale. Humans, however, merge these attributes, crafting adaptable constructs on an expansive scale. EVE Online challenges our mass hallucinations of notions of money and property, introducing a unique reality that exemplifies a different way of uniting people towards a common purpose.”
After attending EVE Fanfest, my curiosity was piqued more than ever, prompting me to reinstall the game client on the event’s final day. While it remains to be seen whether I’ll remain engaged with the game, my enthusiasm for its future developments is undeniable. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the next historic moment in the game and observing how this second universe continues to evolve right before us.
