EVE Online is a community-driven massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, set in a world of galactic proportions. This online universe is governed by a hyper-capitalistic economy where space flight is the path to all commerce, communication, and conflict. Your mission is to establish yourself as a major competitor, trusted by your friends, feared by your enemies. To accomplish this, your principle tools -- apart from an impressive array of sophisticated equipment, customizable space ships and in-game corporations -- will be your natural business acumen, social skills, Machiavellian thinking and cunning combat strategies.

Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE Online is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled with adventure, riches, danger and glory. With nearly a quarter of a million subscribers worldwide inhabiting the same virtual universe, EVE features a vast player-run economy where your greatest asset is the starship, designed to accommodate your specific needs, skills and ambitions. EVE offers professions ranging from commodities trader to mercenary, industrial entrepreneur to pirate, mining engineer to battle fleet commander or any combination of these and much more. From brokering business deals to waging war, you will have access to a diverse array of sophisticated tools and interfaces to forge your own destiny in EVE.

CCP Games has launched its ‘First Strike’ live event for EVE Vanguard, the upcoming sandbox FPS module for EVE Online.

EVE players with an active Omega account have the opportunity to access the event by selecting the EVE Vanguard character profile in the EVE Online launcher from midday UTC on December 7 to midday UTC on December 11, 2023. CCP Games also announced more ways for Capsuleers to cause mayhem on the frontlines of New Eden with Ice Refinery Heists and AIR Daily Goals, coming with the next patch for EVE Online: Havoc on December 12, 2023.

Learn more about what to expect from ‘First Strike’ from some of the developers behind EVE Vanguard in the above video.

As part of the Havoc expansion, players who participate in ‘First Strike’ will contribute to the ongoing corruption in the war zones of New Eden by delivering vital resources to fuel the MMO’s player-driven economy and completing contracts to turn the tides of battle. Participants will also become a part of the module’s Founders’ Access program. EVE Vanguard’s Founders’ Access will have multiple phases, with the first phase focused on providing EVE Online Omega players with access to regularly scheduled limited-time live events as part of their premium subscription. By offering Founders’ Access to EVE Vanguard as an added benefit to EVE’s Omega subscribers, players can add their voice toward the development of EVE Vanguard while it is still early in development.

“With EVE Vanguard, our goal is to deliver a sandbox shooter that innovates while staying true to its EVE identity; what you see in ‘First Strike’ are its foundations,” says Snorri Árnason, Game Director for EVE Online. “Much like with EVE, what players see today is not how EVE Vanguard will be in six months, let alone six years. Right now, our focus is on building tight, satisfying combat at the core of our open-ended FPS experience. We will then expand upon that by adding layers of depth to EVE Vanguard over time with new gameplay features, systems, content, and interoperability with EVE Online.”

“EVE Online – and, by extension, EVE Vanguard – is built in conjunction with the community and our minds on the future,” adds Bergur Finnbogason, EVE Online’s Creative Director. “This is an early look – we are inviting the EVE community to join us in EVE Vanguard’s development cycle as part of the module’s Founders’ Access program so they can have a voice in shaping its future evolution. This is not just lip service – community feedback is an invaluable part of CCP’s decision-making process, and that will only increase over time as EVE Vanguard is put into more players' hands.”

EVE Vanguard is the multiplayer sandbox FPS module for EVE Online, currently in early development at CCP Games’ London studio. Players take on the role of the Vanguard, a mysterious new generation of war clones. Deploying onto the surface of planets littered with turmoil and opportunity, the Vanguard must engage in hazardous missions to unlock their own potential. The Vanguard’s story and purpose will unfold as more limited-time live events are deployed at a later date.

Check out the latest Scope video to discover the background events immediately preceding ‘First Strike’, setting the stage for players to become a new force in New Eden.

See this EVE News item for an overview of EVE Vanguard’s development roadmap and further details for the ‘First Strike’ event. To stay up to speed with the latest EVE Vanguard news and developments, visit and register at vanguard.eveonline.com. Those interested in learning more about the benefits of an EVE Online Omega subscription can go to the official website here.

The day after ‘First Strike’ ends, CCP Games will launch the next patch for EVE Online: Havoc on December 12, 2023.The patch adds the Ice Refinery Heist, a massive, high-octane fleet-oriented activity. Ice Refinery Heists can spawn in any Insurgency system once a specific stage of corruption or suppression is reached, offering all engaged players the opportunity to claim top-tier rewards unique to the activity.

Also coming to EVE Online with the Havoc patch is AIR Daily Goals. An upgrade to daily challenges, AIR Daily Goals will present Capsuleers with four robust tasks to complete, ranging from PvE or PvP combat, industry, or exploration. A core reward, EverMarks, and ISK are available upon completion of each goal, with Skill Points awarded to those who complete at least two of the four AIR Daily Goals.

EVE Vanguard’s first pre-alpha playtest and the Havoc patch mark the conclusion of EVE Online’s monumental 20th year of continuous operation. As the spacefaring MMO moves into its third decade, EVE’s intrepid Capsuleers can look forward to a pair of new content expansions as well as multiple epic in-game events, and write the ongoing history of the world’s largest living work of science fiction throughout 2024 and beyond.

EVE Online is available for PC.