CCP Games launched EVE Online back on May 6th, 2003 and the MMO has now hit a major milestone: 20 years in operation.
The Icelandic developer is celebrating 20 years in space, with EVE Online with both in-game and out-of-game events. Right now the community development team is live streaming memories, giving away prizes and more on the official Twitch channel, leading up to the festivities in-game at 19:00 UTC (that's 3 pm ET, 12 pm PT for those of us in the States).
CCP Games has been pulling all the stops for its 20th Anniversary celebrations, with a full mosaic built of over 80,000 Capsuleers being unveiled, while those who are currently subbed (today's the last day!) will see their names engraved in stone on the updated World with a World Monument in Reykjavik, Iceland.
20 years ago, at 9:09 UTC, EVE Online began an incredible journey. Though we provided the initial spark, it is you who truly brought New Eden to life. It is with great honor and pleasure that we celebrate the start of the third decade of #EVEOnline. Thank you #Tweetfleeto7 pic.twitter.com/hoXoozFgpH
— EVE Online (@EveOnline) May 6, 2023
EVE Online is known for creating one of the most fully realized virtual worlds over the last twenty years, building New Eden as a place where hundreds of thousands of players have built a name for themselves. Grand player empires control and fight over large swathes of space, while the stories of EVE players themselves have become the stuff of legend in the MMO community. From running massive Space Empires to becoming the Space Pope himself, EVE Online's capsuleers have built a thriving universe organically over the years. And the fireworks haven't stopped with time, with massive EVE battles raging even as recently as a month ago.
Hell, it's even a game universe where players can instigate a fight between the real Space Pope and an Anti-Space Pope - mirroring medieval history a bit there.
It's an inspiration across MMOs and games has been felt throughout the years as well, with many other sandbox MMOs using EVE as a comparison point when talking about their in-game economy or player wars. However, none ever quite live up to the living universe EVE players have created and CCP has fostered over the last twenty years.
CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson has been celebrating the 20th anniversary by tweeting out images and memories from the journey, showing the MMO from its earliest days compared to today, as well as sharing some anecdotes and more from its launch.
EVE Online screenshots from an internal playtest 2002. At the time no one believed these were actual screenshots from a game, let alone an MMO. #evebeautyneverfades #eve20years pic.twitter.com/f4MU1CQ6Xx
— CCP Hellmar (@HilmarVeigar) April 29, 2023
Wait! There is more... pic.twitter.com/qBI9V7CCWR
— CCP Hellmar (@HilmarVeigar) May 4, 2023
EVE Online looking great for every era. Left is 2002, right is 2023! #EVEOnline20 pic.twitter.com/0rnFmvJZcR
— CCP Hellmar (@HilmarVeigar) May 4, 2023
EVE Online doesn't show any signs of slowing down, as the team in recent years has doubled down on the technology underneath the hood as part of its EVE Evolved initiative. EVE Forever is also a common phrase used by developers at CCP Games, this idea that EVE will outlive us all. As the MMO enters its third decade, that feels truer and truer each day. EVE Online is still gearing up for this year's FanFest, which happens in September in Iceland, while the developers are also still planning two expansions this year. The first, named Viridian is aiming to launch in June.
You can join in the celebrations in-game today at Jita 4-4, or catch them on the CCP Games stream, embedded below.
