EVE Fanfest 2023 was always going to feature a host of new announcements for everyone's favourite space MMO, and boy did we get announcements. 20 years on from when EVE Online first opened its doors and the game is flourishing, to the point where alongside the next expansion, we're also learning about two exciting new side projects, one of which may well tempt new players to join the fray.

Come and wreak Havoc

EVE Online: Havoc is the name of the next expansion, and it's an apt title. Havoc will focus on pirates, as both the Angel Cartel and Guristas factions will be recruiting players to ‘spread corruption on the frontlines’. Epiphany’s stargates are now open, leading to The Fulcrum, a pirate infested stronghold in Zarzakh, where the Deathless has been integrating himself with Jovian technology. Although who is bending who to whose will is yet to be seen.

The biggest implications will be on Faction Warfare. Pirate factions can now corrupt the frontlines and sow chaos through forward-operating bases, adding a fascinating third vector to the recently revamped Faction Warfare.

"Players will need to make a choice: where do their allegiances lie? Will they defend tradition or wreak havoc in the warzone? By enlisting with pirate factions and corrupting star systems in insurgency zones, players will be rewarded and unlock access to special faction-aligned storefronts. Alternatively, those who seek to protect the empires will be able to engage in anti-pirate activity, stemming the flow of corruption and suppressing pirate efforts."

Perhaps most excitingly, there are five new ships entering play too:

- Merkubal destroyer
- Mamba destroyer
- Khizriel battlecruiser
- Alligator battlecruiser
- Angel titan

There is plenty more coming with Havoc, including updates to Corporation Projects, graphical and technical improvements with the new Carbon Engine, and more. EVE Online: Havoc is launching on November 14, 2023.

Conquer the Galaxy

Coming to PC later down the line, but initially launching on iOS and Android, is EVE Galaxy Conquest, a 4X strategy game. This is a familiar but slightly different take on the usual EVE gameplay, as players ‘must work as a team to battle opponents for interstellar supremacy, leading vast armadas representing one of the four mighty empires from EVE Online: the Caldari State, Gallente Federation, Amarr Empire, or Minmatar Republic.’

“EVE Galaxy Conquest doesn’t merely adapt the iconic EVE Online experience for mobile gamers; we ventured into new territory by transforming the MMO into a compelling 4X strategy game,” stated Michael Lee, Brand Director at CCP Shanghai. “This expansion of the EVE universe brings our signature essence to a wider audience on accessible platforms. With CCP Shanghai at the helm—bringing our passion for EVE and remarkable talent— longtime fans and new players alike have much to anticipate from EVE Galaxy Conquest.”

EVE Galaxy Conquest will launch on iOS and Android in Q4 2023, and you can learn more about it at evegalaxyconquest.com.

Join the Vanguard

For the final major announcement, CCP Games has revealed EVE Vanguard - an impressive looking sandbox FPS module developed in Unreal Engine 5. It's important to note this isn't a standalone game - it’s directly related to the revelations in Havoc, it will be integrated into EVE Online from “Day One”, and it will be accessed via the same launcher.

You play as the Vanguard, who are ‘a new generation of war clones fighting for survival and to free their consciousness’. The game can be played solo or in squads, and is a mixture of survival and roguelike gameplay, with PvP and PvE gameplay both featuring. You will complete planetside contracts set by EVE Online players, primarily focused on acquiring resources, which will also allow you to upgrade your abilities, equipment, and suit, but hostile enemies will come in the shape of both other player squads and AI foes.

“Building games with a passionate community is how we do our best work,” said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games. “As we continue to expand and deepen our universe together into the EVE Universe’s third decade with interconnected experiences, it is with great joy and excitement that we reveal EVE Vanguard. Heading into

2024, there will be multiple opportunities for players to experience and give feedback on our efforts. Together, we are fulfilling the ultimate sci-fi experience across two interconnected worlds: as it is above, so it is below.”

You can learn more about EVE Vanguard at vanguard.eveonline.com.

Project Discovery Phase Four

Along with the three new gameplay experiences, Project Discovery will be entering its fourth phase soon, which includes a companion mobile app and an expansion to helping support cancer research. If anyone is unaware, Project Discovery is a minigame within EVE Online that acts as a way for players to assist with real science discoveries, and earn in-game rewards through their efforts. Phase three occurred during COVID-19, where players helped contribute to the global efforts of ending the pandemic.

Soon, Project Discovery will go even further, as it will expand to encompass ‘critical immune system diseases, including cancer’. What's more is that Play Science, a companion mobile app, will allow players to contribute to Project Discovery on the go. The latest dataset from the initiative will be made publicly available too, which should assist in enabling researchers to develop scientific breakthroughs.

“Helping the world solve some of its greatest challenges has been one of the most exciting, and satisfying, moments of my career,” said Bergur Finnbogason, EVE Online’s Creative Director at CCP Games. “EVE Online players have made immeasurable contributions to the scientific community through Project Discovery and we’re setting them up to take things a step further with Phase Four. We’ve proven games can be used for good and the EVE Online community should be proud of all the incredible work they’ve helped some of the world’s leading scientists accomplish.”

Phase four of Project Discovery, including the Play Science mobile app, is scheduled to launch in 2024. You can learn more about Project Discovery at eveonline.com/discovery.

Let us know your thoughts on all of the new announcements from Fanfest 2023 in the comments!