EVE Online Interview: Team Has Plans To Bring The Universe To Film And Television

Bergur: Hi there! I’m Bergur Finnbogason, the Creative Director for EVE Online at CCP Games. I joined CCP back in 2010 and moved over to the EVE Online team in Reykjavik in 2014. I started out as a creative producer, then became a development manager leading things like our AI work and the Abyssal Deadspace expansion. I also managed our art team for a time and coordinated our citizen science initiative, Project Discovery.

These days, I’m focused on driving EVE Online’s creative vision alongside our Game Director, Snorri Árnason, VP of Product Sveinbjörn Magnússon, and VP of Publishing Eyrún Jónsdóttir. I’m a strong believer that even after over 20 years, we have yet to tap EVE Online’s potential fully. I’m excited to continue expanding and enriching the EVE universe as we head further into the game’s third decade.

Bergur: Engaging with and listening to our community is absolutely crucial for a game like EVE Online that has been alive for so long. Over the years, we’ve built a very collaborative relationship with our players.

We have dedicated community teams that gather player feedback through forums, in-game chat, social media, player gatherings, and more. That feedback gets discussed extensively by the development team and factors heavily into our planning and prioritization.

We also put out frequent dev blogs, host AMAs and town halls, and find other ways to have open dialogues with players about upcoming features, balance changes, and our overall direction. Where possible, we even bring players in to test early versions of features on our test servers.

Each year, Capsuleers vote in a Council of Stellar Management, or the CSM for short, a 10-12 person council that meets regularly with development teams to discuss the game, upcoming changes, and other concerns and opportunities. The CSM is instrumental in the continuous development of EVE Online.

So, in short, we see our relationship with the EVE community as a partnership. Their input and feedback are invaluable in keeping the game fresh, balanced, and exciting after all these years. It’s an ongoing conversation that is central to our development process.

Bergur: The Equinox expansion is all about empowering capsuleers to shape EVE Online’s lawless nullsec regions. We’re introducing a new suite of Upwell structures that will allow players to extract and manage planetary resources, upgrade their territory, and take advantage of a skilled NPC workforce. This will make player-controlled space more meaningful and contested.

At the same time, we’re adding the ability for players to customize their ships like never before with our new SKINR tool. For the first time, pilots will be able to design and share their own SKIN designs, opening up a whole new creative outlet and ISK-making opportunity.

As for the new contested income stream from the Metenox Moon Drill, we’ve been very careful to model and balance it so that it provides a nice boost to rewards from resource harvesting activities without disrupting EVE’s delicate economy. The key is that manual harvesting will always be more rewarding than using this new structure. So, it’s more of an enhancement to an existing system than something that will inflate the money supply. They also make prime targets for medium-sized groups of raiders, so we expect quite a few of them to generate content as well as resources.

Across all of these features, we’ve put a lot of thought into how they integrate into the sandbox in an additive, rather than disruptive, way. Things like new resource harvesting and industry have plenty of built-in risks and tradeoffs to keep them from being exploited. And we’ll be watching things closely after release to make any needed tweaks to keep the economy and territorial gameplay healthy.

Bergur: The impetus for refreshing nullsec escalations and anomalies came from both our own observations and player feedback about stagnation in nullsec PVE. While the region is the setting for EVE’s grandest player wars and political drama, the day-to-day PVE gameplay there was getting a bit long in the tooth.

So, for Equinox, we wanted to add more variety and dynamism to make these pockets of space feel like they’re worth fighting over. By adding escalations with unique challenges and shinier rewards, we’re hoping to create more reasons for players to get out and explore, and more natural flash points for PVP.

This also ties into the broader resource harvesting and upgrades coming to player-controlled space. We want to create more meaningful distinctions between systems so that holding SOV in a particular region actually impacts your play experience and industrial capabilities. The new anomalies are a part of that.

And as mentioned earlier, this is just the start of our efforts to rejuvenate life in nullsec. The Equinox changes lay the groundwork for more additions and iterations in the future based on how players respond. Our goal is to make nullsec feel more alive and worth battling over.

Bergur: Absolutely! Refreshing PVE across EVE is a big priority for us, and the Equinox updates to nullsec PVE are just the first steps. As I mentioned, we see this as the beginning of an ongoing process of improvements, not just a one-off. In fact, in Equinox, we made some changes to NPC behavior in Wormhole space, Pochven, and Factional Warfare. And, for the first time in 21 years, one of the new escalations is actually a mining escalation!

We know from player feedback and our own data that PVE activities like missions, mining, exploration, etc, are a huge part of how many players engage with EVE, whether they’re veteran null-blocks funding a war machine or new players learning the ropes. It’s crucial that those systems continue evolving to stay challenging and rewarding.

Beyond the nullsec changes, we’ve got some exciting plans in the works to update other PVE systems as well that I can’t quite divulge yet. But you can expect more news on that front in the coming months. We see it as a key part of keeping EVE fresh and engaging for all playstyles.

Of course, any changes to PVE need to be made carefully, as they can have big ripple effects on everything from the market to factional warfare. So, we’ll be taking our usual approach of staged rollouts and open dialogue with the community to make sure we’re getting it right. But the wheels are very much in motion!

Bergur: We’ve been thrilled with the response to Equinox so far. Seeing the excitement from players as they theorize about the new strategies and shenanigans the expansion will enable is exactly what we hope for.

Of course, the real test will come when Equinox is live on Tranquility, and capsuleers start pushing the new features to their limits. We’re expecting the unexpected – it’s the nature of our sandbox that players will find clever ways to use these systems that we didn’t fully anticipate. So, we’ll be watching closely and ready to make balance tweaks as needed in the weeks following the launch.

Personally, I’m very eager to see what players come up with using the new SKINR tool. Player creativity always blows us away, whether it’s propaganda, fan art, videos, or in-game events the community puts together. Giving them a tool to customize their spaceships like never before is going to take that to a whole new level. I think pretty quickly, and we’ll see corporations and alliances flying their logos and colors as they wage wars across the stars.

I’m also excited to see how players leverage the new industrial upgrades and resources in nullsec to build their war machines and carve out their pieces of the map. There’s a lot of potential for emergent, player-driven stories and conflicts to arise from these Equinox features that get at the heart of what makes EVE special. We’re giving players new tools to shape New Eden – now we get to sit back and watch the fireworks!

Bergur: This is a great question and something we think about a lot with EVE Vanguard. It’s always a challenge putting an early version of a game out there, especially when it’s in a beloved IP with a passionate existing community and a reputation for scope and polish like EVE has.

Our approach has been to be extremely transparent that Vanguard is currently in alpha, and set expectations clearly that players are seeing an early glimpse, not the final product. We want them to understand that they’re coming along for the ride as we build this thing in public – it’s going to be a little rough and ready at first, and that’s okay.

At the same time, we’re quite open that our vision is for Vanguard to grow into the ultimate sci-fi FPS experience over time, leveraging EVE’s rich lore and player-driven spirit. So, while comparisons to a perfected EVE Online are premature, we’re not shying away from that as our north star.

A key part of managing expectations is also making sure the slices of Vanguard we release are meaningful vertical slices that demonstrate the game’s core potential, even if they lack the full breadth of features. Back in December, we gave players their first look at EVE Vanguard through our ‘First Strike’ event. One map, one gun, and a handful of missions. We’ve invited them back every month, slowly expanding and iterating on the playstyle; we really want to make sure the foundations are strong before building on them, creating a true and meaningful human-scale EVE Online experience. Now in our upcoming ‘Solstice’ event, we’ll unveil a new map, introduce our adaptive weaponry system, plus so much more!

Most importantly, we deeply involve the community in this transparent development process through things like our Discord, regular blogs, and public playtests. We’re gathering their feedback voraciously and visibly putting it into action with each release. Over time, that builds trust that we’re all on this journey together to make Vanguard sing.

So, in summary – we’re thinking long-term, staying humble, and keeping players in the co-pilot seat as we gradually build Vanguard into a truly epic of sci-fi shooters. It won’t happen overnight, but with the power of our incredible community, we’ll get it done!

Bergur: The idea of bringing EVE to film or television is something we’ve explored a few times over the years. There were indeed some discussions about a potential TV series back in 2013, and we’ve had other conversations since then about both big and small-screen adaptations.

I think EVE Online’s universe has immense potential for compelling filmed storytelling. It’s this vast, rich tapestry woven from thousands of player-driven narratives and epic sci-fi lore that’s just brimming with fascinating characters, political intrigue, existential threats, and tales of adventure and betrayal. The stories that emerge from the sandbox year after year would be the envy of many a Hollywood writer’s room.

At the same time, we recognize that translating the essence of EVE into a more linear narrative format while doing justice to its scope and complexity would be a major undertaking. It’s not something we want to rush into without the right partners and a rock-solid creative vision.

That said, the success of shows like The Expanse and Apple’s Foundation has certainly demonstrated that there’s a healthy appetite out there for space operas with grand scope and morally grey characters. And the continual growth of EVE’s IP in other media like books, comics and now our EVE Vanguard shooter is helping to make the universe more accessible to newcomers.

So, while I can’t give you a definitive timeline, I can say we’re keeping a close eye on the evolving landscape of streaming and filmed content. As EVE continues to reach new audiences and strengthen its position as one of the iconic sci-fi IPs, the right opportunity for a film or TV adaptation feels more and more inevitable. It’s a “when not if” in my mind – and I suspect it may be sooner than we think.

Bergur: EVE Online’s journey with pricing and monetization has certainly been a learning experience over the years. We’ve had our share of missteps and controversy, but we’ve also found some models that work well for sustaining a vibrant, long-running live game.

One key lesson is the importance of open, honest communication with your community. Whenever we’ve made changes to EVE’s pricing or introduced new monetization, the initial response has often been skeptical at best and outraged at worst. But by engaging in dialogue, clearly explaining our reasoning, and being willing to make adjustments based on feedback, we’ve usually managed to find a path forward that works for both the game’s long-term health and the players’ interests.

Another big one is making sure your monetization feels fair and doesn’t cross the line into “pay to win” territory. In a competitive sandbox like EVE, it’s critical that real-money purchases don’t give some players an insurmountable advantage over others. We’ve always strived to keep EVE’s most important pathways for progression and power tied to in-game achievements that all players can earn through skill and dedication. Where I think some live-service games run into trouble is when they start layering in more and more aggressive microtransactions or loot box mechanics that feel predatory and at odds with the game’s core loop. It can poison the well and erode trust with players, even if it juices short-term revenues.

The reality is that sustaining an ever-evolving online game isn’t cheap, and free-to-play economics have their limitations. So, experimenting with different mixes of premium memberships, cosmetic microtransactions, and the like is going to be an ongoing necessity. The key is to strike a balance that players feel good about investing in and see long-term value from.

At the end of the day, if you respect your players, include them in the conversation, and keep your monetization tightly aligned with the game experience you want to deliver, you’ll be on the right track. It’s something we’re always trying to get better at with EVE, and I suspect we’ll keep learning and iterating for years to come.

Bergur: Absolutely! One of the great things about the EVE IP is how flexible and expansive it is. The core concept of rival factions vying for power in a distant star cluster opens the door to so many different types of gameplay experiences.

We’re always thinking about new ways to bring the EVE Universe to life across different platforms and genres. In the past, we’ve explored things like VR dogfighting with EVE: Valkyrie and a single-player, narrative-driven experience with Gunjack 2: End of Shift, an arcade-style space shooter set in the EVE Universe that was designed for mobile VR platforms.

Looking ahead, I’m particularly excited about EVE Galaxy Conquest, the mobile 4X strategy game that we recently announced. It takes the grand space empire gameplay of EVE and adapts it into a more streamlined form for mobile devices. Players will get to align with an EVE faction, build up their forces, form alliances, and wage huge wars for control of the map. It captures a lot of what makes EVE special but in a fresh format that will open it up to new audiences.

Another exciting project on the horizon is EVE: War for New Eden, an immersive tabletop game we’re collaborating on with Titan Forge Games. Titan Forge brings a wealth of experience in crafting deep, engaging board games, and together, we’re creating a strategic experience where 2-4 players explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate across a dynamic map of the EVE galaxy. It’s a fascinating translation of EVE’s intrigue, negotiations, and epic battles into a tactile, social format. When we showcased the game at EVE Fanfest here in Reykjavik, players immediately took to it. It’s undeniably EVE, and as a result, the Kickstarter for the game was wildly successful.

And, of course, there’s EVE Vanguard, our in-development online sandbox FPS that gives players a boots-on-the-ground perspective on the conflicts that shape New Eden. With Vanguard, we’re offering a complementary gameplay experience that deepens the immersion of the EVE Universe.

Through initiatives like our ‘First Strike’ event last December and the upcoming ‘Solstice’ update in June, we’re giving the EVE community an early look at Vanguard’s foundations and inviting them to join us in shaping its evolution. Features like the new mining laser prototype, contract system, weapon customization, and session persistence hint at the rich sandbox gameplay we’re aiming for.

It’s still early days, but our goal with Vanguard is to create the ultimate sci-fi sandbox shooter. One that captures the player-driven spirit, consequential gameplay, and sense of scale that define EVE, but on a human level. We’ll be expanding on that core with new features, content, and more integration with EVE Online over time, but we’re already seeing a fantastic response from our Founders’ Access players.

Vanguard represents an incredibly exciting new frontier for the EVE Universe, one where we’re once again collaborating closely with our community to realize an ambitious shared vision. I can’t wait to see where that partnership takes us.

Beyond that, the sky’s the limit. I could imagine a tense survival horror in the mold of Dead Space, set on a derelict station overrun by rogue drones. Or a narrative RPG where you play as an explorer charting New Eden’s uncharted frontiers. Even a grand strategy game, ala Stellaris, could be a great fit for EVE’s universe.

While we don’t have any of those in active development, it’s always fun to dream about the possibilities. As the EVE IP continues to grow and find new audiences through efforts like EVE Vanguard, EVE Galaxy Conquest, and EVE: War for New Eden, I’m confident it will open up even more opportunities to tell new stories through gameplay. It’s an exciting time to be a part of New Eden!

Bergur: Yes, there are a couple more things I’d like to mention. First, I want to highlight the incredible lineup we have planned for EVE Fanfest 2025 next May. We’re proud to have made our first program announcement, welcoming Dr. Becky Smethurst and Dr. Ronald Turner to the main stage.

Dr. Smethurst is an award-winning astrophysicist who is going to bring a fascinating scientific perspective to the event. Dr. Turner, a senior science advisor at NASA who also happens to be an avid EVE player, will no doubt have some incredible insights to share about the intersections of science, science fiction, and gaming.

In addition to these keynote speakers, attendees can look forward to special announcements and new product reveals, EVE dev and player presentations, panel discussions, the legendary Pub Crawl, the Party at the Top of the World, and much more. Fanfest 2025 is shaping up to be even bigger than last year’s completely sold-out event.

In fact, never in the history of Fanfest have ticket tiers sold out this quickly and this far in advance of the festival. The first three tiers of Pioneer Early Bird tickets are now fully sold out, but we’ve just released an additional volume of Early Bird tickets due to the overwhelming demand. So, if you’re eager to join us, I encourage you to grab your spot soon at Eventbrite. With those brilliant keynote speakers plus all the usual Fanfest festivities, it’s going to be an unforgettable celebration of all things EVE. I hope to see many of you there!

This segues quite nicely into the other thing I want to emphasize, which is just how instrumental EVE’s community has been to the game’s longevity and success. We’ve talked about their role in shaping the development of features and expansions, but it goes so much deeper than that.

EVE players are the lifeblood of the game in every sense. They are the content, the driving force behind its most memorable events and sagas. They have created this incredible culture and ecosystem that transcends what happens on the server. From the alliances and their propaganda machines to the streamers and podcasters, the data analysts and tool builders, the fan artists and fiction writers — EVE’s community has woven this richness around the game that makes it so much more than just another MMO.

So, as we look ahead to Equinox, EVE Vanguard, EVE Galaxy Conquest, and all our future plans within the EVE universe, it’s important to us that the community understands that they are the center of it all. We’re committed to strengthening that relationship, bringing them deeper into our world-building process, and giving them more ways to leave their mark on New Eden.

At the end of the day, EVE is a grand, multi-generational story that we’re all telling together. We’re so grateful to have this passionate, creative player base along for the journey. I’m personally awed by what they’ve done with our toolkit over the years, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next. The future is bright.