Today, CCP Games launched EVE Online: Havoc, the latest expansion for spacefaring MMO EVE Online. Havoc adds new content and improvements that help players turn the tides of war or fan the flames of chaos on the frontlines. For the first time in the game’s 20-year history, players can now enlist with the game’s notorious pirate factions, subverting the balance of power in New Eden.
The ruthless Angel Cartel and Guristas pirate factions have settled in the recently discovered Zarzakh system, an area of space controlled by The Deathless, a mysterious harbinger of chaos, who has made his base in a Jovian megastructure called “The Fulcrum.” Seeking to disrupt the eternal power struggle between New Eden’s empires, both factions are actively recruiting pilots who possess a merciless, unending hunger for riches and glory. Players will need to make a choice: where do their allegiances lie? Will they defend their empire and suppress the pirate rebellion, or wreak havoc and fight for personal gain in the war zone?
“With Havoc, this is what we know for certain: capsuleers have some tough decisions to make, and even more dynamic and complex war zones will erupt into the cosmos of New Eden,” said Bergur Finnbogason, EVE Online’s Creative Director. “Adding official space piracy fulfils a long-held player ambition and brings EVE Online ever closer to our vision of the ultimate sci-fi experience. It expands the captivating life paths we can offer to new pilots as well as allowing veteran EVE players to come back to the fight and protect the empires they once loved… or help bring down those they hated.”
“EVE players are always looking for more and better ways to disrupt their enemies’ best-laid plans,” adds Snorri Árnason, Game Director. “Havoc offers capsuleers more tools and opportunities to gain an edge in the war zone, to press an advantage or influence the eternal tug of war in those empire battlegrounds. This will fuel the evolution and future of conflict in EVE, and we can’t wait to see how capsuleers will continue to shape the war zone and their shared universe.”
With Havoc, pilots can unleash their own chaos on the frontlines with the new corruption and suppression system, giving players two unique paths to explore and exploit, each with their own benefits and rewards. By enlisting with pirate factions and corrupting star systems in insurgency zones, players will unlock access to special faction-aligned storefronts, further cementing their newfound identity. Alternatively, those who seek to protect the empires will be able to engage in anti-pirate activity, quashing the flow of corruption and suppressing pirate efforts by retaking pirate-held sectors.
Corporation leaders now have more ways to achieve dominance in the theatre of war with substantially improved tools to manage their organizations and new ways to reward members for their efforts. Corporation Projects have been enhanced with new functionality and have been bolstered by a new corporation project manager role, as well as seven new project types covering a wider range of in-game activity, including long-awaited recognition for pilots who fly support ships in fleets and corps. Furthermore, the AIR Opportunities portal aimed at surfacing interesting content for new players will be accessible earlier for rookies, who can even engage with these activities before they’ve completed the tutorial experience.
“In addition to being an ideal opportunity to rejoin the fray as an experienced capsuleer, there’s never been a better time for new players to jump in and contribute to a cause greater than their own from day one,” says Emily Akland, EVE Online’s Senior Brand Manager. “Fresh pilots can immediately find their purpose and better access what appeals to them as they take their first steps.”
All this comes as new threats emerge to menace New Eden, the long-awaited Angel titan – a pirate behemoth – will enter the fray, joining the new pirate battlecruisers and destroyers for capsuleers to fly. Of course, players must first earn the trust of the Angels or Guristas to unlock the ships’ blueprints and begin their construction. Havoc also brings with it EVE Vanguard, a dynamic and evolving FPS experience in early development, which will be connected to EVE Online from day one. When it first comes online in December, players will have a chance to impact New Eden, and further fuel its war machine, directly through frontline corruption. To be among the first to join the ranks of Vanguard, sign up here: https://vanguard.eveonline.com.
The Pirate Insurgencies are underway, and now is the time for capsuleers to choose whether they will align with outlaws, spread corruption and wreak havoc wherever they go, or join an empire militia, suppress criminal activity and establish their reputation as an honorable upholder of the law. With the launch of Havoc, players will be able to impact the EVE Universe in space or from the ground. For more information about Havoc, see this blog post.
Visit EVE News for the latest updates. Assets for EVE Online: Havoc can be found in the press kit. Download EVE Online for free by visiting www.eveonline.com.
