Every year, the Game Masters of CCP Games like to spend one week to celebrate you, our players, and the community that has grown around the EVE Universe. GM Week runs from 22-28 September, with Game Masters showing off impressive ships, playing hide and seek, trying to get at least one successful roam in, leaving surprises in space for you to find, and generally showing you a different side of your friendly inter-galaxy support team. There are contests, events, streams, and plenty of SKINs, vanity items, and fun to be had! GMs will even pop up in EVE Vanguard, havigng lots of fun-on-the-ground! 

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This year, several events will run throughout the week, including a few one-off events. The list and details are below, but we hope to see you all in-game for some fun interactions and jolly cooperation! 

Get all the info and stay in touch 

On the official EVE Online Discord server, there are now channels dedicated to GM Week! You can drop in there to see any communications about events and happenings as well as discussing what is happening and even giving us suggestions on what to do differently or add to our fun week. 

Some planned events can only realistically happen once during the week, so they will have a set time where you can follow along or show up to get involved! 

Throughout the years, we have had many players being naughty by automating their playing to profit and engage in RMT or other foul business. Up until GM Week 2023, we made an event of parading out and bashing the most egregious EULA violators and ToS breakers still onboard their expensive capital or super-capital ships. A few years ago, something happened in the world of New Eden that meant capitals and super-capitals are no longer the most profitable way to bot for ISK, so their tactics changed. There is no real satisfaction in bringing out botting cruisers, so it was obvious that this specific event had to change.  

We still want to give our players a spectacle to celebrate GM Week, so this time we are doing something different. The inventories of around 600 verified bot accounts' have been confiscated, and will be placed in Upwell structures in select highsec systems, namely Yulai, Tarta, and Pakhshi. Game Masters, being the busy bees they are, have conveniently forgotten to use or fuel these structures as they have no use for them, which means they will be demolished around 16:30 UTC on Monday, 22 September. You are invited to observe the demolition and help clear the field of salvage as we harvest some botters' ‘hard’ work. 

It is tradition to invite a guest Fleet Commander to lead a roam filled with GMs and ISDs that just want to give back to the community. This year we will have the absolute pleasure to have Lorumerth of Loru Gaming lead us to glory and ISK positivity. We will have a fun-filled fleet of mischief together and hope to see you all in space.

Join us on CCPTV at 17:00 UTC on 27 September, or meet us in-game for some fun exchanges of courtesy and support (Multifrequency and Hail, respectively). 

We can already tell that the displays of mastery on Thursday will have players yearning for more, so the following Friday, 28 September at 14:00 UTC, GMs will be tagging along with the weekly Live2Feed stream, helmed by CCP Bee.  

Interspersed through the week, chill streams are going on CCPTV, where the only visual is a container floating in the depths of space. These containers will have some juicy cosmetic loot in them along with trinkets and some PLEX, and the only hint you will have of their whereabouts is the background. Each time, it’s a race to find the containers, and the first one there gets the prize! 

We try to place these streams outside of the core operating hours of CCP, so there will be some fun stuff for those that don’t share a time zone with the Icelandic-based Game Masters. Keep an eye on the Discord channels as we will update you when the next broadcasts are planned. 

Stuff will be going down in space all week. Some activities will have rhyme as well as reason, while others absolutely will not. The more logical and structured activities will even have names! 

A long-standing tradition of GM Week is hosting contests that encourage creativity and humor. This year is no different, with the contests listed below. 

Head on over to the official Discord and find the GM Week contests channel for more information on how to participate! 

This is a chance for players to showcase their artistic talents by creating original EVE themed artwork, whether it's screenshots, ship illustrations, character designs, scenic pieces, painted miniatures, or anything else inspired by New Eden. 

This competition encourages creativity and spotlights the incredible artistic passion within the EVE community. Participants will have the opportunity to earn valuable rewards while sharing their unique artistic interpretations of the EVE Universe. 

This is your chance to capture not just a single striking image, but to weave together a short visual tale from the battlefield. 

In this competition, participants are invited to submit a sequence of around five screenshots that tell a story. It could be the tension of a squad preparing for battle, the chaos of combat, or stopping to take a breath and snap photos of some pretty landscapes. Each entry should capture a moment, a conflict, or an emotion that could only exist in EVE Vanguard. 

The goal is to encourage players to explore the SKINR tool, experiment with its features, and create something unique. Participants will have the chance to earn rewards and, at the very least, gain valuable hands-on experience with SKINR. 

By shining a spotlight on SKINR, we not only inspire creativity but also showcase the power of the avenues players have to express themselves.  

There are some very capable players who work as Game Masters, and this facet of GM Week always lets them shine in creating fits for a plethora of ships that they then take out for roams. Not every roam has to involve setting your safety to red and slamming a filament, however, so this time, GMs will be showing up in a lot of places, not necessarily to fight.  

Each day, Game Masters will spread the word about a region of space that will be seeded with small and fun loot containers. These are password protected and will require some knowledge to unlock, but they are worth it. Keep an eye on the Discord channels for updates about the regions. 

Similar to the Orbital Stashes but this time with actual GMs playing hide-and-seek. Try to find them and receive a prize! 

Boots on the ground indeed! If you play EVE Vanguard during GM Week, you may encounter, or even team up with, GMs playing as well!  

Sometimes, GMs need assistance, and the Freelance Project system is perfect for exactly that purpose! Check the Game Masters corporation every day to see new ways you can interact with us, sometimes as a collaborative effort and sometimes as a contest to see who can do the most! 

The artistic side of the GMs gets to shine as they will design SKINs with the Ship SKINR. You will be able to find listings on the market for various hulls, and any PLEX spent on these designs will be donated to the next PLEX for GOOD campaign. ISK spent on designs will be donated to the next Live2Feed stream, so all proceeds will find their way to good causes. 

Wherever you find them and whatever you do with them, GM Week is sure to have something for everyone. 

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Q: How long does the event run?

A: The event will run from 16 September to 2 October 11:00 UTC for both EVE Online and EVE Vanguard.

Q: What is Operation Nemesis about?

A: Operation Nemesis is a World Event playable in both EVE Online (the space above) and EVE Vanguard (the ground below). In EVE Vanguard, you are a warclone mercenary, recruited by the factions of New Eden and the secretive Deathless Circle to uncover advanced technology. But standing in your way is Mordu’s Legion, a formidable force determined to stop you. Your mission: disable Upwell defenses, push back Mordu’s Legion, and recover valuable secrets hidden across the combat zone. These secrets will reveal the location of high value convoys traveling through space. Capsuleers in EVE Online respond by intercepting and looting these convoys to recover additional intel. Complete expeditions for the factions of New Eden, uncover intel, and fuel the war machine 

Two separate games, one joint operation. Your actions on the ground in EVE Vanguard will leave a lasting impact in EVE Online! 

Q: How does Operation Nemesis work across both games?

A: As you complete expedition assignments in EVE Vanguard, you contribute Global Points toward a progress gauge that is shared by the global community of warclones. Each time the progress gauge fills, new raidable convoys will appear in different areas of space in EVE Online, including highsec, lowsec, and nullsec. Capsuleers can then scan or probe these convoys to intercept them and steal their loot. The loot in question consists of Sealed Projects Crates which can then be traded at Deathless Wraith Traders to unlock rewards.  

To learn more about the link between these two games, now and in the future, please check out our recent Dev Chat featuring CCP Okami and CCP Collins.

Please note: Completing assignments in EVE Vanguard will contribute Global Points, but the progress gauge will only be displayed in EVE Online for this operation. 

Q: What rewards can I earn for playing Operation Nemesis?

A: Your actions in both EVE Online and EVE Vanguard will advance you along a personal reward track with milestones for unlocking SKINR components, SKINs, Sealed Projects Crates, and more.  (This should be familiar to capsuleers who have participated in seasonal events like Crimson Harvest or Winter Nexus).

Please note: Playing as either a capsuleer or warclone will contribute toward your personal reward track, but rewards and progress will only be available in EVE Online for this operation. 

Q: Is this an EVE Online event, or an EVE Vanguard event?

A: It’s both! Consider this a New Eden event on two fronts. Whether you’re attacking from above in the immersive sandbox setting of EVE Online or eliminating enemies in a more visceral FPS experience in EVE Vanguard, your actions carry weight and consequences.  

Q: Are the events in EVE Vanguard connected to what is happening in EVE Online?

A: Yes, they are. While these are separate games, they exist within the same vast universe – a living breathing world shaped by familiar factions, legendary characters and most importantly, you, the intrepid capsuleer or the merciless warclone. This operation is yet another chapter in the history of New Eden, where even the smallest actions can have a lasting impact. And this is just the beginning. In future World Events, we may see even more, deeper connections between the two games.  

Q: Is my character in EVE Vanguard the same character in EVE Online? 

A: No, they are not the same. In this operation, you play as a capsuleer in EVE Online or as a warclone in EVE Vanguard. While the two roles are different, they are aligned to the same cause and contribute to the same greater conflict. When you log into EVE Vanguard, you will use your EVE account, but the connection is currently recognized only at the account level. We're still refining how closely these experiences will be intertwined in the future, so stay tuned as this concept evolves! 

Q: I haven’t played EVE Online before. Will I be able to participate in this event if I choose to play EVE Vanguard only?

A: Of course! Simply download the EVE launcher here and create your EVE account. Once you have created your account and installed the launcher, you should see an EVE Vanguard icon. Download the game and jump right into the operation as the warclone you were destined to be.  

Q: I belong to a corporation in EVE Online. Is this event designed for corporation or alliance play?

A: While we do encourage everyone capsuleers and warclones alike to join the conflict, this event is primarily PvE (Player vs. Environment), where New Eden’s factions work together to take down Mordu’s Legion. However, you can certainly fleet up or squad up with friends. Consider having someone deploy on the ground and another taking flight to protect the space above, and watch as convoys spawn and are subsequently destroyed through your combined efforts. 

Q: I’m a new or returning player, how can I access Operation Nemesis?

A: This event is accessible from the EVE launcher, which you can download from our website, or by launching from Steam. After logging in or creating your free account, you can install the EVE client. Once installed, you will see two icons to the left: one for EVE Online and one for EVE Vanguard. Then the only thing left to decide is where you will make your stand: on the ground (EVE Vanguard), or in space (EVE Online) or both?

Q: The community gauge is filled and I'm in the system where a convoy is shown on the Map. However, my directional scanner isn't picking up a convoy in EVE Online what am I missing?

A: In the Overview Settings, click the "Filters" tab and ensure that "Vanguard Entities" are selected. These convoys will not be picked up otherwise. 

Q: I looted the convoy and I have some Sealed Projects Crates, where do I find the item traders to exchange them?

A: Here are the locations of the item traders:

• Uttindar

• Perimeter

• IZ-AOB

• Hedion

• Hemin

• FWST-8

• Botane

• 9IPC-E

• UT-UZB

Please note: Operation Nemesis is another step in developing a shared universe for EVE Online and EVE Vanguard. While activities in both games contribute to the event loop, the experience is still in active development so some actions made by your Warclone or Capsuleer will not be reflected across both games. 

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The Legion Major Update is now live!

• Reduced the Maximum Number of drones that can be assigned to a character from 50 drones to 20 drones.

We’re cutting down on the number of drones that can be assigned to a single character at a time from 50 to 20 drones. There are things that we really like about drone assistance: there is a skillful element of assigning drones to someone else when you are jammed, damped or out of range. There is also some niche gameplay such as assigning drones to an interceptor to decloak players at gatecamps, assigning light drones to a dedicated anti-frigate ship in PVE such as incursions or PVP, and you can assign drones if you’re doing some specialized task like Logistics. Further, if you’re a new player you can assign drones to your more knowledgeable friends & fleet mates so you can focus on piloting your own ship.

We feel like dropping down to 20 drones will still keep most of these cool use cases intact, while cutting down on undesirable gameplay.

• Sentry Drones

  • Increased Signature Radius on all sentry drones from 100m to 300m.

Increasing the signature radius on Sentry Drones to Battlecruiser size so that they take more damage from Missiles, Bombs and Vorton Projectors, and are faster to lock so that they can be countered more effectively.

• Armor Rigs

  • Changed the drawback from Armor Rigs to be Agility instead of Max Velocity.

• New Skill added - Advanced Armor Layering

  • Grants 2% reduction to the mass penalty of armor plates per level.

  • Rank 5 skill.

  • Available in all empire school stations to purchase for 15,000,000 ISK, or from the character sheet for 19,500,000 ISK.

  • Skill Requirements

    • Armor Layering IV

    • Mechanics V

    • Hull Upgrades V

We’ve heard concerns that shield setups are dominating and armor doesn’t feel great for skirmishing now. To help address this, we’re introducing a new advanced skill to shave off a bit more mass from armor plates and changing the drawback on most armor rigs to be a penalty to Agility instead of Max Velocity. This will still keep the original design intent and tradeoff that exists with armor/shield rigs in that they reduce some of your ability to mitigate damage in exchange for more tank. Losing turning speed and handling means you won’t be able to orbit as tightly or get as high angular velocity as before, but you now won’t also be giving up range control anymore which should make them feel much better on the field.

We hope that this will make armor more viable especially at smaller scales and help promote more ships that have fallen out of favor such as AHACs.

• Encounter Surveillance System site

  • Increased the range that players are unable to cloak in the main bank room from 150km to 500km.

Cutting down on some frustrating gameplay where snipers could enter the ESS and then cloak in the site to ambush players as they come in.

• Marauders

  • Removed -70% Micro Jump Drive reactivation cooldown role bonus from all Marauders.

  • Vargur: 7.5% Falloff bonus per Minmatar Battleship level reduced to 5%.

  • Marauders are now unable to access the main bank room of the ESS.

Marauders continue to be dominant and oppressive at smaller scales of PVP. Marauders currently have incredible damage, high projection, a durable tank, and incredible mobility. We’re making an adjustment here to reign them in a bit while solidifying their role as ships which trade mobility for improved offense and defensive capabilities, and making the Bastion Module their core identity.

We’re making another small adjustment to the Vargur because it is still an outlier. This set of changes should still keep them as apex PVE and PVP ships and the undisputed kings of firepower and defense, but allow for counterplay opportunities when it comes to facing them on grid.

Additionally, we are experimenting by blocking Marauders from the ESS main bank room. This should hopefully lead to a more diverse meta for ESS engagements and allow other battleship and battlecruiser hulls to shine. We’ll be keeping an eye on this change to see if it leads to a healthier ecosystem overall.

• Bastion Module

  • Armor Repair and Shield Boost Amount Reduced from 100% to 60% while active.

  • Added new bonus, 20% reduction in cycle time and capacitor cost for Armor Repairers and Shield Boosters while active.

This retains the current repair effectiveness over time values as now without increasing the capacitor cost per second.

We are doing this to help improve active armor Marauders which could sometimes end up repairing for most, or even exceeding their maximum Armor Hitpoints when using Asklepian Implants, boosters, x-type hardeners, et cetera. This would limit the ability of armor Marauders like the Kronos and Paladin when outfitted with high-end modules. It also made them require a disproportionally higher skill cap relative to shield Marauders given how armor repairers apply their reps at the end of the cycle.

This will make Armor Repairers easier to use without over-repping on armor Marauders and limit them less when it comes to high-end fits that push the limits.

Additionally, this change will help reduce the power of Ancillary Shield Booster Marauders a bit in PVP. We’ve heard a lot of frustration from the playerbase about multiple XLASB shield fit Marauders (Looking at you Vargur!) since they’re both very cheap and bypass the normal weakness that active tank marauder fits have against capacitor warfare. By moving some of the power of the bastion module into cycle time, this specifically hurts ancillary shield booster fits since they mostly just want raw boost amount to get the most effectiveness out of each charge and clip, rather than cycle time and the capacitor cost reduction.

• Tactical Destroyers

  • Can now enter the main bank room of the ESS.

We're giving Tactical Destroyers some more roaming utility by allowing them to enter the ESS site. Like with Marauders, we’re experimenting a little here to mix things up, we’ll make changes if things end up going in an unhealthy direction like with 10mn T3Ds becoming meta or becoming too hard to catch.

• Confessor

  • New Defense Mode Bonus: 33% bonus to Remote Armor Repairer amount, and reduction in activation cost.

  • Damage per level of Tactical Destroyer increased from 5% to 7.5%.

  • Max Velocity increased from 230m/s to 250m/s.

• Svipul

  • New Defense Mode Bonus: 33% bonus to Remote Shield Booster amount, and reduction in activation cost.

  • Damage per level of Tactical Destroyer increased from 5% to 7.5%.

  • Max Velocity increased from 220m/s to 240m/s.

Both the Confessor and Svipul are suffering a bit in usability. The Confessor has a bit too much overlap with the Retribution right now, which has significantly better mitigation while also having high damage with a range bonus. The Confessor's only strengths over the Retribution is the added utility, commonly used as a probe launcher, and the added damage and ewar resistance in sharpshooter mode. The Svipul has also struggled with other new ships entering the game like the Thrasher Fleet Issue and buffs to the Stabber, Navy Cruisers and medium Autocannons.

The Hecate and Jackdaw are doing very well right now and are some of the most used ships in the game, so we’re giving both the Confessor and Svipul a bit more base damage and speed to hopefully make them stand out a bit more. We’re also adding a Remote Armor/Shield Booster bonus to them in defensive mode, to give them some more utility to potentially open up some spider tanking fleet options in PVP and PVE.

• Ferox Navy Issue

  • Medium Hybrid Damage per level bonus reduced from 10% to 7.5%.

  • Medium Hybrid Tracking per level bonus reduced from 7.5% to 5.0%.

  • Powergrid Reduced from 1250 to 1150 (same as regular Ferox).

  • CPU reduced from 565 to 515 (same as regular Ferox).

  • Reduction in Shield Booster power and CPU requirements per level bonus improved from 7.5% to 10%.

We’re making some adjustments specifically to the Ferox Navy Issue to address its dominance in the fleet meta. Specifically, we are reducing the damage, tracking and reducing the Powergrid and CPU that it has, setting it back to the same values that the regular Tech 1 Ferox has. This should still mean it is viable but make it harder to fit a 5-6 slot tank and a DLA with railguns without fitting modules. At the same time we are improving the shield booster fitting bonus that it has which should compensate active tanking fits with a fitting reduction to make up for the loss in base PG and CPU.

Additionally, we know there are concerns about the dominance of other railgun ships that may just simply replace the FNI as the top meta railgun ship, with those being the Vulture, Ferox (t1), Naga and Rokh. So we are going to make some adjustments to all rails overall.

• Medium and Large Railguns

  • Tracking Reduced by 10%.

  • Optimal Range and Falloff Reduced by 10%.

Railguns are dominating at all sizes, so we’re going to reduce their tracking and optimal & falloff slightly for medium and large railguns. Medium Railguns have been very strong for a very long time now, while Large Railguns have recently taken the top spot since the Viridian expansion where we gave a significant buff to the Rokh with a tracking and rate of fire bonus.

This will mean that most of the Tracking Speed bonus for Large Railguns got rolled back, maintaining about 3.5% of it, but they’ll keep the rate of fire bonus they received. We hope this will mean that Large Rails will land in a good spot between now (Super Dominant) and pre-Viridian (Considered weak).

We will continue to keep a close eye on the Vulture, Ferox, Ferox Navy Issue, Rokh and Naga after this set of changes and make further adjustments in the upcoming expansion if needed, whether they continue to dominate or end up too weak.

• Naglfar

  • Midslots improved from 6 to 7.

  • Lowslots reduced from 6 to 5.

• Naglfar Fleet Issue

  • Midslots improved from 6 to 7.

  • Lowslots reduced from 6 to 5.

Improving the shield tank effectiveness of the Naglfar line by improving the number of midslots they have available at the cost of a lowslot. This should mean the Naglfar can take advantage of the shield booster bonus a bit more effectively in HAW setups and open the door for stronger shield based anti-capital turret dreadnoughts. While we do think we are trading some of the unique versatility of the Naglfar hull here, the dreadnought meta has been heavily dominated by Revelations for the last half-decade, and the T1 Phoenix (that the T1 Naglfar now shares a slot layout with) are missile based so we feel comfortable making this change.

• Sin

  • Removed 10% bonus to logistic drone transfer amount per level.

  • Added 10% bonus to Warp Scrambler range per level.

  • Added +1 bonus to Warp Scrambler strength per level.

    • These bonuses only apply to Warp Scramblers and not Warp Disruptors.

The Sin is the least used Black Ops, and the logistics drone transfer amount bonus is fairly weak. We are replacing this with a 10% bonus to the range of Warp Scramblers, and then a +1 bonus to strength per level to Warp Scramblers. This bonus should be a lot more desirable and makes more sense for the role of Black Ops. We hope this bonus will improve the Sins utility in drops by making it more powerful at holding targets, and give it a niche in super hunting with the extra point strength.

• Apocalypse

  • Removed 7.5% Large Energy Turret Tracking bonus per level.

  • Large Energy Turret optimal range bonus improved from 7.5% to 10% per level.

  • Added 5% Large Energy Turret damage per level.

  • Added 10% reduction in Large Energy Turret capacitor cost per level.

• Apocalypse Navy Issue

  • Removed 7.5% Large Energy Turret Tracking bonus per level.

  • Large Energy Turret optimal range bonus improved from 7.5% to 10% per level.

  • Added 7.5% Large Energy Turret damage per level.

  • Added 10% reduction in Large Energy Turret capacitor cost per level.

Reworking the Apocalypse. There is a lot of competition for large energy turret ships with the Apoc, Apoc Navy, Abaddon, Nightmare, Bhaalgorn, Armageddon Navy Issue and Oracle all fighting for the same space. Currently, the Apocalypse feels weak due to lack of a damage bonus, while the tracking bonus doesn’t feel particularly strong because a lot of other laser ships are better in applying damage in practice, such as the Bhaalgorn (Webs+Neut), Nightmare (Superior mobility and same tracking bonus), Armageddon/Armageddon Navy Issue (Ranged neuts and can fit Rapid Heavys/Bonused Drones) and the Oracles superior mobility allowing it to get better tracking through managing traversal. The unique selling point of the Apocalypse hull is the optimal range bonus, however the damage is still underwhelming.

The aim here is to move the Apocalypse more towards a sniper attack role, focusing it more on ranged damage. so we are removing the tracking bonus of the Apocalypse, while giving it more damage, giving it a cap reduction bonus for lasers so that it doesn’t hurt as much running a MWD while shooting, and then improving the optimal range bonus slightly. We feel like this should make the Apocalypse stand out more in the lineup of Amarr Battleships.

• Maelstrom

  • Highslots reduced from 8 to 7.

  • Turrets reduced from 8 to 6.

  • Midslots increased from 6 to 7.

  • Removed 5% bonus to Large Projectile Turret rate of fire bonus per level.

  • Added 10% bonus to Large Projectile Turret damage per level.

  • Powergrid reduced from 21000 to 18000.

Reworking the Maelstrom to be a shield mirror of the Hyperion. This should help make it much more viable as a small gang brawler and PVE platform with the extra utility high and the extra midslot, while also making it more attractive in fleets by being a bit easier to fit with a pure artillery fit and increasing the alpha capability slightly at the cost of some DPS. We hope this will make it stand out a bit more from other Minmatar projectile ships like the Tempest Fleet Issue by leaning it more towards alpha strike damage and less towards rate of fire in fleets as an alternative option, and making it more viable as a counterpart to the Rokh.

• Megathron Navy Issue

  • Tracking bonus improved from 7.5% to 10% per level.

  • Added 15% reduction in Armor Plate mass penalty per level.

  • Maximum Velocity improved from 130m/s to 135m/s.

Giving some extra tracking to the Megathron Navy Issue to compensate it for the adjustment to large railguns, which will also mean a direct improvement to it with blasters fitted. Also adding a small speed boost and an armor plate mass reduction bonus to the Megathron Navy Issue to improve it for nano/skirmish armor fleets. This bonus has worked well on other ships, like the Oneiros, Eris, Catalyst Navy and Exequror Navy Issue, so we're excited to see the effect this will have on the Navy Mega.

• Cenotaph

  • Ladar Sensor Strength reduced from 25 to 15.

  • Armor Hitpoints reduced from 5,000 to 3,500 (-1500).

  • Structure Hitpoints improved from 6,000 to 7,500 (+1500).

  • Low Slots reduced from 3 to 2.

  • Role bonus to Medium Projectile Turret and Heavy Assault Missile damage improved from 100% to 125%.

  • Max Velocity Improved from 160 to 170m/s.

  • Agility improved from 0.6x to 0.55x.

• Tholos

  • Ladar Sensor Strength reduced from 16 to 8.

We’re hearing about complaints of the Cenotaph's strength from wormholers and to a lesser extent other areas of space where very expensive, high resistance ships are used at very close range around fixed locations. These fits allow the Cenotaph to survive even with a 3 slot tank. In this environment things like range and speed don’t matter as much. We are making a set of adjustments to the Cenotaph to try and retain its strength in other areas of space where it’s not as dominant, while also adding more meaningful counterplay options to the Deathless ships as a whole.

We are reducing the sensor strength of the Deathless ships to make ECM a very effective counter against them, especially in wormhole environments where their very close range missiles are not at as much as a disadvantage as they are in other areas of space. This should hopefully allow wormholers to more reliably counter while preserving a lot of their strength in other environments, where it is very difficult to ever get close to their maximum potential paper DPS output. ECM also is not very punishing in situations where you only have a DoT on 1-2 targets (since as long as you get a lock every 75 seconds then you can keep up the damage), but ECM is very effective at lowering the total DPS across the whole field since even a 25% chance to jam results in dropping the number of pods spread in optimal scenarios from 7 to 5.

Additionally, we are shifting some hitpoints from Armor away into Structure to make armor tanked Cenotaphs more vulnerable, and taking away a low slot, which should make heavy armor cenotaphs much less viable. To compensate it for the lost lowslot and buff it in situations where it isn’t using the lowslots for tank, we are improving the damage role bonus and also giving it some extra speed and agility to partially compensate the potential loss of modules such as nanofibers and gyrostabilizers/ballistic controls.

• Cyclone Fleet Issue

  • Max Velocity reduced from 190m/s to 180m/s.

  • Signature Radius reduction per level bonus reduced from 5% to 3%.

The Cyclone Fleet Issue is a bit healthier than the Ferox Navy Issue, but still overperforming somewhat. We’re reducing the speed slightly and also reducing the signature radius reduction bonus to the same as the Hyena to remove some of the mitigation it has.

• Harbinger Navy Issue

  • Powergrid increased from 1550 MW to 1625 MW.

The Harbinger Navy Issue is underused so we’re giving it some PG to open up a few more fits. Combined with the changes to armor rigs and the other dominant battlecruisers being knocked down a bit, we hope this will make this a more attractive pick.

• Myrmidon Navy Issue

  • Drone Capacity increased from 250m3 to 300m3.

  • Now additionally gets a 10% bonus to drone tracking per level just like the Vexor Navy Issue does.

Myrmidon Navy Issue is still the least used battlecruiser in the game. We’re giving it a powerful tracking bonus to match the VNI, and then improving the drone capacity on it so that it has more options and is harder to defang, and can afford to include more utility drones like the web drones it has a bonus to.

• Tornado

  • Agility Nerfed from 0.475 to 0.54.

  • Max Velocity increased from 225m/s to 250m/s.

  • Falloff bonus per level improved from 5% to 7.5%.

We’ve heard frustrations when it comes to dealing with low align time, warp speed rigged, artillery fit Tornados “Windrunners”. So we’re making an adjustment to the Tornado which should hurt it in this role, but buff it in other roles. We’re nerfing the agility enough so that it will be much harder to get an under 4 second align time on the Tornado, making this type of fit a lot more vulnerable to being caught. To compensate it for this nerf, we’re buffing the base speed of the Tornado and also improving the falloff bonus per level that it has. The net outcome of this hopefully is that Windrunner fits are less effective and can be caught more easily, but Tornados that are staying on the field feel stronger.

• Talos

  • Max Velocity improved from 220 m/s to 235m/s.

Giving the Talos a little love since it’s underused outside of structure grinding and ganking.

• Deimos

  • Signature Radius reduced from 150m to 120m.

The Deimos had a very large signature radius for a brawling focused armor HAC, moving it down to 120m which places it between the Vagabond (115m) and Zealot (125m), so that it can mitigate more damage. This should help it when brawling and in AHAC roles.

• Zealot

  • 5% Rate of Fire bonus replaced with 7.5% bonus to medium energy turret damage.

This is a very small damage bump (from 33.3% to 37.5% more damage) but will help the Zealot a lot more with cap stability, since the guns will no longer be consuming as much capacitor per second, and also means the crystals will last longer before they break.

• Mamba

  • New role bonus added, 25% bonus to drone max velocity.

  • Maximum Velocity improved from 245m/s to 255m/s.

• Mekubal

  • New role bonus added, 50% bonus to small projectile falloff.

The Mamba and Mekubal aren’t quite at the power level expected from a Pirate Destroyer and their current price point. We’re buffing them up by giving them an extra role bonus which currently all other T1 Destroyers and Navy Destroyers in the game get. The Mamba is getting the drone speed role bonus which the Algos has, and a bit more speed since it’s a bit too slow right now while the Mekubal is getting an additional falloff bonus, which will stack with its per level bonus, just like the Khizriel.

• Magnate Navy Issue

  • Capacitor Improved from 325 to 500.

  • Capacitor Recharge Time increased from 180 seconds to 250 seconds.

• Heron Navy Issue

  • Capacitor Improved from 245 to 300.

  • Capacitor Recharge Time increased from 135 seconds to 150 seconds.

• Imicus Navy Issue

  • Capacitor Improved from 270 to 400.

  • Capacitor Recharge Time increased from 150 seconds to 200 seconds.

• Probe Fleet Issue

  • Capacitor Improved from 235 to 280.

  • Capacitor Recharge Time increased from 130 seconds to 140 seconds.

Setting the Navy Scanning Frigates base capacitor amounts and capacitor recharge time to the same values as their navy racial counterparts. This will result in them having much higher base capacitor pools and slightly higher capacitor per second rates. It was difficult to use them in PVP because of how low their capacitor pool was since they were unchanged from the base exploration frigates so this should improve them.

• Skybreaker

  • An additional high slot has been added.

• Stormbringer

  • An additional high slot has been added.

Giving these ships a utility slot allows them a chance to escape their current niches and see more use in other areas of the game. Powergrid and CPU values have not been changed, so their new modules must fit within current fitting constraints.

• Outpost Construction Skill

  • Now gives 1% reduction per level in manufacturing time for items that require the skill.

Making the outpost construction skill worth training to higher levels since currently no item in the game requires it to be higher than level 3 to build, and the vast majority of items only require it at level 1.

• The minimum requirement to join the Pirate FW Factions (Angel Cartel and Guristas) has been raised from -2.0 to 0.0 to match the four empire militias.

We are raising the standing requirements for players and corporations to enlist with pirate insurgency factions from -2.0 to 0.0 as we said we would in the earlier patch notes released on the 26th of June.

We are doing this to address concerns with team killing (Awoxing) in the pirate militias, which happens significantly more frequently in the pirate factions than the empire factions which already have a standings requirement of 0.0.

By raising the minimum to 0.0, corporations can no longer add fresh characters to bring their corp standings up below -2.0 as was previously the case.

We know this isn’t going to completely fix the problem with team killing in factional warfare, but we hope it will reduce the number of incidents in pirate militias for the time being.

• Insurgency Balance

  • Reduced the base amount of systems needed to be won from 7 to 5.

  • Increased the ambition modifier cap from +13 to +15 (so winning 20 systems is still the maximum difficulty cap).

  • Increased the weighting of Frontline and Command Ops systems for the Insurgency FOB when choosing a system for a new insurgency so that it is more likely to choose those systems.

  • Increased the weighting of dominant control (when a side owns 66% or more of the warzone) so that the Insurgency FOB is more likely to choose those systems.

• Insurgency Mining Ambush Sites

  • Increased the signature radius of the Hijacker Taipans and Hijacker Echos from 25m to 80m (which is the same as the ORE Safeguard Atrons) so that they are much easier to track for players and the NPCs.

  • Increased the shield hitpoints of the pirate and Mordus battleship NPCs by 50% to increase the time it takes to run the sites a bit and give more opportunities for players to get caught while running the site.

The pirate tackle frigates had very low signature radius when compared to the ore tackle frigates, and were very hard to track for both players and NPCs. Additionally, the sites were getting run a bit faster than we would like so we’re increasing the time slightly by increasing the HP of the battleships.

• It’s now possible to swap between the Male and Female body models using a Pilot’s Body Resculpt Certificate available from the NES.

• As part of the update, every capsuleer receives a free character resculpt token that is bundled with the weekly 15,000 free Skill Points available in the New Eden Store. This is normally an Omega only benefit, but until 16 September only, it is available to Alphas as well!

• Autothysian Lancers:

  • In the aftermath of the Drifter Crisis, the Autothysian Lancers no longer have a presence in high security space.

• Forward Operating Bases:

  • Forward Operating bases that would previously spawn in highsec are now spawning in lowsec, and at a higher rate.

We’ve been looking into the subject of capsuleer safety in highsec, and as part of our investigation we've noticed that new players do lose ships to Autothysian Lancers and 'diamond rats' (from the FOBs). While the new player journey should include the experience of ship loss, destruction at the hands of Autothysian Lancers and diamond rats does not adequately teach new players about how to improve their survivability. The issue of highsec safety is an ongoing discussion that will require further time and continuing feedback.

• Significantly increased NPC buy order quantities for the following commodities:

  • Rogue Drone Infestation Data.

  • Neural Network Analyzer.

  • Sleeper Data Library.

  • Ancient Coordinates Database.

  • Sleeper Drone AI Nexus.

The new buy order quantities will mean no more stack splitting for all but the most determined of hoarders. These quantities have been split more equally across all applicable stations, meaning you can expect a consistent experience no matter which Corporation you choose to sell to.

Freelance Jobs now include three new contribution methods, giving more options for corporations.

• Destroy Capsuleer: Project Managers can now set up Freelance Jobs that reward destroying specific capsuleers or organizations.

• Remote Boost Shield: Earn rewards by boosting allies’ shields through Freelance Jobs.

• Remote Repair Armor: Earn rewards by repairing allies’ armor through Freelance Jobs.

• Smaller-scale sites have had some mechanical tweaks:

  • All such sites will now appear within the Triglavian Invasions Opportunities page.

  • NPCs within EDENCOM Scout Fleets will no longer have mixed factions (e.g. Amarr NPCs will no longer appear with Caldari).

  • Battleship NPCs will no longer spawn during the first wave in these sites.

  • Moved NPC spawn locations to reduce bumping with the hackable container.

  • Various improvements to how NPCs within these sites handle idling and swapping targets.

  • NPCs will now make more consistent use of their microwarpdrives.

  • A Rogue Drone battleship will now always spawn during the 2nd or 3rd wave of an Incipient Drone Swarm site.

Adding the sites to the Triglavian Invasions page has their location visible at any range within the region. This should promote more purposeful movement around the triangle while also offering a way for hunters to locate potential targets.

Separating the EDENCOM subfactions will mean there are less types of EWAR to deal with per instance. This should bring the difficulty of the site more in-line with that of the Convocation Watchpost.

Lastly, battleships spawning in the initial wave could result in swings in difficulty and time requirements. This was especially true for Incipient Drone Swarms, which could take far longer when multiple battleships spawned. Now, battleships will only spawn during the 2nd or 3rd wave. A battleship spawn is guaranteed in Incipient Drone Swarm sites, both to supply standings gains and to ensure the site runtime is a decent length.

• Rebalanced Torpid Sleeper Hives distribution and rewards:

  • Increased the number of sites present within the region to 6 (from 3).

  • Decreased the optimal per-pilot ISK payout to 27m (from 33m).

  • Decreased the average number of Stability Telemetry commodities within the hackable container.

• Increased the optimal per-pilot ISK payout earned within Convocation Watchpost and EDENCOM Scout Fleet sites to 18m (from 15m).

Three instances of this site proved to not be enough to meet demand, so the number of sites has been doubled. Rewards have been rebalanced to compensate for the greater potential faucet.

Convocation Watchpost and EDENCOM Scout Fleet sites continue to be less appealing than Incipient Drone Swarms and Torpid Sleeper Hives due to their negative standings effects. The payout increase aims to reward those who are willing to put up with the additional dangers these standings hits cause.

• Optimal per-pilot payouts for Observatory Flashpoint sites have been increased to 150m ISK (from 120m ISK).

• Micro Jump Drives can no longer be activated within the lobby area of Observatory Flashpoint sites.

• The Observatory Flashpoint failure timer will now only start after the initial guard NPCs are destroyed within the main combat area.

The previous change to site rewards had an outsized effect on groups running non-Marauder setups. We are adjusting the payout values of the site so it is still valuable for these groups.

To compensate for the reward reversion, a Micro Jump Drive block has been added to the lobby of these sites. This is intended to reduce the usefulness of Marauders within that area.

In addition, the site must now be fully in-progress before the failure timer begins ticking down. This is to prevent players rerolling the site spawn without any effort.

• NPCs within Vigilance Point sites have had a number of balance changes:

  • NPCs will now utilize microwarpdrives to close distances.

  • NPCs will move more slowly when within their optimal orbit range.

  • Inertia modifiers and mass values have been adjusted to make NPCs more agile.

  • Optimal weapon ranges have been increased and falloff ranges have been added.

  • Weapon tracking has been improved significantly.

  • Shield and armor resistances have been reduced.

  • Signature radii for Frigates, Destroyers, and Cruisers have been increased.

  • Signature radii for Battleships have been decreased.

• Drifter officers within Vigilance Point sites must now be destroyed before the next wave spawns to increase the Destroy Drifter Commanders counter.

• Vigilance Point site beacons will now appear within their lobby area instead of the combat area.

• Vigilance Point site beacons will now persist after the site is completed.

• Vigilance Point acceleration gates will now be accessible without a key after the site is completed.

A common solution to this site has been kiting NPCs and largely ignoring them, which goes against the intended gameplay loop. As such, outrunning these NPCs has been made much more difficult. NPCs will now be more of a threat, but are also easier to destroy.

The change to when Drifter officers must be destroyed aims to increase the challenge when attempting to draw out Strategos. This also prevents Allecto’s blind fury being used as a tool to help clear multiple waves.

The beacon and acceleration gate behavior has been made consistent with Observatory Flashpoint sites. This prevents them being usable as safe locations following the site’s completion.

• Overmind Nursery Groves have been partially rebalanced:

  • Replaced the Triglavian Survey Databases found when salvaging an Overmind Nursery Nest with Triglavian salvage materials.

  • Reduced the maximum number of sites to 9 (from 10).

  • A beacon will now spawn in the site’s lobby area when the site completes.

Replacing the red loot with Triglavian salvage gives a way to acquire these materials without damage to Triglavian standings.

The average value for this site has increased fairly significantly with this change, resulting in a small tweak to the number of sites available. Also, the number is now divisible by 3.

Like with Vigilance Point sites, the beacon has been added to prevent the site being a safe haven once the site ends.

• Increased metenox daily consumption from 3600 to 4800 (from 150 hourly to 200).

• Decreased magmatic gas volume from 0.1 to 0.01.

We are actively working towards a stronger long-term solution for the Metenox and its impact. These changes are meant to be short-term iterations to nudge the Metenox in the right direction, while we take the time we need to find a better long-term solution.

• 🤝 It’s now possible to configure Skyhooks while they activating (during the 30 minute window).

• 🤝 It’s now possible to configure Skyhooks remotely through the ‘My Orbital Skyhooks’ page.

• Wandering k-space wormhole connections have been added to C4 wormhole systems:

  • S047 will connect to high-sec systems.

  • N290 will connect to low-sec systems.

  • K329 will connect to null-sec systems.

  • Each of these new wormholes will be battleship-sized.

  • These wormholes will be significantly rarer than those found in C5 and C6 systems.

• Z142 and C248 wormholes will now spawn more frequently.

• Scan levels for certain wormholes have been changed:

  • Wandering wormholes Z647, D382, U574, V753, V911, and W237 from level 1 to level 2.

  • Wandering wormholes O477, Y683, E175, and Z457 from level 2 to level 1.

  • Wandering wormholes R474 and B274 from level 3 to level 2.

  • Wormhole S199 within low-sec from level 2 to level 3.

  • Wormhole M267 from level 3 to level 2.

• J492 wormholes will now appear within wormhole systems.

The goal for these new(-ish) C4 wormholes and increased frequency of Z142 and C248 wormholes is to give residents access to more content opportunities. In addition, those in C4s may occasionally luck into a direct to high-sec connection!

Scan levels have been tweaked for both consistency and usability. Any wormhole that can appear as both static and wandering will now use different scan levels so they are more easily distinguishable.

• Information window descriptions for wormholes have been updated:

  • The messages for the wormhole’s destination, maximum ship size, lifetime, and mass stability have been simplified.

  • Lifetime and Mass Stability messages now include color for improved readability.

  • A 1-hour remaining lifetime message has been added.

  • A Drifter wormhole destination message has been added.

  • A C13 wormhole destination message has been added.

This change aims to improve the readability of wormhole messaging and remove an unintuitive barrier for newer players. Messages will no longer need to be decoded and can now be read as plain text. The new destination messages have been added to make them more clearly distinct from C1-C3 wormholes. These additions should still leave plenty of room for mastery, such as learning to narrow down locations further via wormhole names or appearances.

The 1-hour remaining message gives players a bit more clarity to the level of risk they are taking when jumping through a wormhole near its end of life. This should be especially useful for those jumping through frigate wormholes.

• The warp-in and spawn points within C2 cosmic anomaly sites have been adjusted.

• The targeting prioritization for Capital Escalation site Drifter NPCs is now much more varied.

• The value of loot dropped from Upgraded Avenger NPCs has increased to 50m ISK (from 35m).

• Deepflow Rift sites will no longer spawn within wormholes.

Many of the spawn points found in C2 cosmic anomaly sites were extremely far apart. This resulted in a lot of time within the site being dedicated to just moving between locations. Having the spawns closer together makes running these sites more enjoyable and rewarding.

Capital Escalation site Drifters often focused logistics ships when present, making it easier for higher value ships to avoid danger. These NPCs are now much more likely to vary the kinds of ships they target.

Upgraded Avenger NPCs will only appear and remain within a Capital Escalation site that has been escalated. Increasing the rewards earned by defeating these NPCs further encourages the use of capitals for this content, creating more juicy targets out in space.

Deepflows Rifts have generally been considered out-of-place within the wormhole ecosystem and as such have been removed. Already existing sites will remain but will not respawn once completed.

• Rorquals, FAX and Jump Freighters will now be blocked from sites which disallow other capital ships from entering.

• The Retriever is now shown on the Astrogeology skill as ‘required for’ at level 3 like the other 2 mining barges.

• Fixed a Sansha NPC showing up in the Serpentis Variation of the ‘Violent Expulsion’ level 1 mission.

• Fixed Angel Sentry towers being used in the Serpentis Rally Point instead of Serpentis sentry towers.

• Fixed a typo in the name of the Consortium Vorton Tuning System.

• Fixed a typo in the name of the Ship Restrictions for the Pirate Interception missions.

• Fixed the name of Mordu’s Legion in the Outer Ring region description.

• Fixed a typo in the Delve region description.

• Fixed a very rare issue where a second Gallente Dreadnought could appear within Observatory Flashpoint sites.

• NPCs within Observatory Flashpoints and smaller-scale sites will now correctly orbit within their EWAR effect ranges.

• Drifter and Sleeper NPCs with remote repair effects can now repair their allies.

Capsuleers,

A new chapter in the Legion expansion unfolds today with the arrival of a major update. Shaped by incredible feedback and ideas received from capsuleers and the Council of Stellar Management, as well as observations from capsuleer activity across New Eden, this update revitalizes combat, expands exploration, and introduces new ways to shape your destiny.

As CCP Okami, EVE’s game design director, explains:

“These changes are about more than balance: they’re about breathing new life into the battlefield. This update creates room for capsuleers to experiment, adapt, and explore. That’s when EVE is at its best.”

Combat has shifted. Marauders, once unmatched in their ability to dominate smaller hulls, now face new restrictions. Their agility has been pulled back, making them kings of damage and tanking still, but no longer the unassailable rulers of the ESS. In their place, Tech III destroyers now gain access to these lucrative sites, breaking marauders’ monopoly and creating a new arena for flexible, fast-moving fleets. ESS cloaking tactics have also been reworked, forcing defenders to reveal themselves sooner and giving raiders a fighting chance.

The changes arriving today ripple far beyond marauders, though. Drone-assist mechanics, long exploited by massive multiboxing fleets, have been reined in, creating a healthier balance between coordination and firepower. Ships that had fallen into obscurity, such as the Confessor, Svipul, and Harbinger Navy Issue, now return to relevance with buffs that make them more viable. Meanwhile, the Ferox Navy Issue, Cyclone Fleet Issue, and other overperforming hulls have been adjusted, loosening their grip on capsuleer tactics. Even venerable battleships like the Apocalypse and Maelstrom have been reworked, the former leaning into its sniper role while the latter gains new resilience on the front lines.

These changes add up to a battlefield that is less predictable, more diverse, and ultimately more exciting. Capsuleers will find themselves revisiting ships they had long ignored, reconsidering doctrines, and adapting their strategies in the face of a meta that has cracked wide open.

The Freelance Jobs system is also expanding. Freelancers can now take on contracts to destroy another capsuleer’s ship, bringing mercenary work and bounty hunting into sharper focus. The new remote shield and armor repair jobs add further flexibility andnew freelancing opportunities. New ESI endpoints can power player-built bounty boards and contract systems, giving corporations and alliances fresh tools to motivate, reward, and direct capsuleer action.

What was once a simple side activity now has the potential to grow into a profession of its own, with pilots defining themselves as freelance hunters, hired guns, or logistics specialists whose work reshapes the balance of power across New Eden.

Explorers will find wormhole space and Pochven greatly enhanced. Wormholes now offer more connections and improved navigation, making travel smoother while still maintaining the thrill of uncertainty. For many capsuleers, this will mean shorter chains, fewer dead ends, and more reliable routes for hunting, raiding, or trading.

Meanwhile, Pochven has become more rewarding, with smaller sites paying out more fairly, while large Observatory encounters deliver greater value for those willing to risk the fight. Smarter NPC behavior adds depth to these engagements, creating encounters that demand adaptation rather than repetition. The flow of materials from Pochven also reduces the cost of building Triglavian ships, making these powerful hulls more accessible to those daring enough to fly them.

Not every change is about war or wealth. This update also brings several quality-of-life improvements. Skyhook configuration can now be handled remotely during activation, making alliance logistics faster and more flexible. Capsuleers also gain greater freedom of expression as gender change is added to the Pilot’s body resculpt certificate options. Until 16 September, you can claim a free certificate in the NES, along with 15,000 SP! Additionally, Factional Warfare militias see updated entry requirements designed to reduce awoxing.

To make the most of your time in New Eden, Omega is always a good idea, and if you get free PLEX in the bargain, so much the better. Until 9 October, you can score Omega time in the EVE Store and get up to 1,500 PLEX at no additional cost. Get all the benefits of Omega in addition to the wealth of PLEX for you and your alts, go on a spending spree in the NES, buy new ships or upgrade existing ones, prepare for war, or line your coffers with ISK.

And speaking of the NES, you can take advantage of a 50% off deal on select apparel, for a limited time.

The Legion Major Update follows in the footsteps of what was seen in the Revenant expansion, but with a focus all its own. Revenant reshaped industry and warfare. Legion focuses on balance, freelance work, and exploration. Together, they set a precedent: that New Eden is ever in motion, never fixed, constantly adapting to capsuleers’ actions, and pushing them to adapt in turn.

The sandbox has shifted once again. New doctrines rise, new professions emerge, and the far reaches of space grow more rewarding. The changes are varied, but the purpose is simple: to give capsuleers more meaningful choices, more space for creativity, and more reasons to fly.

Read the Patch Notes for all the details.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/8500/EVE_Online/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1872800/EVE_Vanguard/

Capsuleers,

On 9 September, a major update for Legion is coming, directly reflecting the incredible feedback and ideas received from capsuleers and the Council of Stellar Management, as well as observations from capsuleer activity across New Eden.

According to EVE’s game design director, CCP Okami, “these changes are about more than balance: they’re about breathing new life into the battlefield. This update creates room for capsuleers to experiment, adapt, and explore. That’s when EVE is at its best.”

Among the exciting adjustments coming are ship and module balance changes that are poised to crack open the meta and encourage fresh strategies. Underutilized ships will surge back into relevance, armor doctrines gain speed, and the stranglehold of overpowered hulls will loosen.

To learn more about some of the biggest changes coming with the major update, make sure you tune into Alliance Tournament XXI this weekend on CCPTV, where CCP Kestrel will dive into some of the details.

Exploration grows deeper with fresh wormhole connections and richer opportunities in Pochven, while freelance pilots now find daring new opportunities, including the order to destroy another capsuleer. The universe itself becomes more responsive, with improved exploration, wormhole UI enhancements, and various quality-of-life additions that smooth every jump, scan, and skirmish.

This is an update forged from capsuleer feedback and battlefield data alike, designed to give you more choice, more creativity, and more reasons to fight. New Eden belongs to those who adapt. Will you rise to the challenge?

Competitive capsuleers,

Alliance Tournament XXI (ATXXI) is almost here, and there’s a lot of exciting stuff coming up. Before getting into all that, however, let’s take a look at this year’s full trailer!

The Caldari-sponsored Alliance Tournament XXI (ATXXI) is fast approaching. The first match starts on 30 August on the CCP Twitch channel and will see 50 teams battle it out in a GSL Style tournament to decide which 28 teams will reach the dual elimination main tournament rounds in October. The Alliance Tournament XXI team participants were sorted into groups live on the CCP Twitch channel, decided by the orbs of chance, pulled by our certified ballers, CCP Lumi and CCP Overload!

The first match of the Caldari-sponsored ATXXI will be streamed on the CCP Twitch channel on 30 August at 15:00 UTC. will see 50 teams battle it out in a GSL Style tournament to decide which 28 teams will reach the dual elimination main tournament rounds in October. The Alliance Tournament XXI team participants were randomly sorted into groups live on stream by orbs of chance, pulled by certified ballers CCP Lumi and CCP Overload.

Alliance Tournament XX was rife with thrashings, expert tactics, unlikely comebacks, and plenty of explosions. The top 4 teams were given direct invites into Alliance Tournament XXI to honor those who endured and arose victorious. These four teams were:

#1 The Tuskers Co.

#2 TRUTH. HONOUR. LIGHT.

#3 Platinum Sensitivity.

#4 Ragequit Cancel Sub

The seeding for ATXXI, which determines which teams will play against each other, will be based on a combination of last year’s tournament position and the feeder tournament’s outcome. The first four seeded positions are listed above, and the remaining positions will be based on the results of the feeder tournament.

Spanning two weekends, the four-day feeder tournament kicks off at 15:00 UTC on 30 August with a match between last year’s “BBQ Boys” Seriously Suspicious and Meta Reloaded. The broadcast will start at around 14:45 on CCPTV. The full schedule can be found here, along with a full list of the teams competing.

A team of incredibly talented player-casters and analysts will provide expert commentary on all the action, making it accessible to tournament newcomers and veterans alike. Want to flaunt your tournament knowledge and/or pure luck? We’ll be using Twitch’s native prediction functionality for every match and rewarding the best guessers with CCPTV channel points. Hoard them up and exchange for some Streamcast SKINs, and other prizes!

The Caldari haven’t hosted an Alliance Tournament since ATX, where the Cambion and Etana were awarded to winners Verge of Collapse. That’s a whopping 13 years! To celebrate their return to the tournament, they’re awarding tremendous spoils to the daring competitors and those rallying behind them.

Introducing the next evolution of combat in the Caldari State:

The Skua

• Based on the Caldari Jackdaw Tech III Destroyer.

The Anhinga

• Based on the Caldari Naga Attack Battlecruiser.

These ships refine the essence of their original designs, combining elegance with power. In the hands of skilled capsuleers, they will command the battlefield. Caldari engineers are still closely working with IGC engineers in secret to upgrade each ship with enhanced capabilities. While the engineers are under strict non-disclosure agreements about the specifics of the ships, pressures from the numerous sponsors involved in the tournament broadcast have convinced them to provide additional details before the start of the tournament in October.

Since Alliance Tournament XVII, the IGC has expanded the distribution of Alliance Tournament prize ships. Alliance Tournament XX marked a milestone in the event’s history, but the larger prize pool pushed IGC production to its limits. For Alliance Tournament XXI, the number of prize ships returns to the levels set in Alliance Tournament XIX, keeping expanded rewards for truly special occasions.

The prize structure is as follows:

• 1st (winner of finals): 40x Skua, 40x Anhinga

• 2nd (loser of winner’s bracket): 20x Skua, 20x Anhinga

• 3rd (loser of match 61): 16x Skua, 16x Anhinga

• 4th (loser of match 60): 12x Skua, 12x Anhinga

• Top 6 (2 teams, K.O. in losers round 6): 8x Skua, 8x Anhinga

• Top 8 (2 teams, K.O. in losers round 5): 6x Skua, 6x Anhinga

• Top 12 (4 teams, K.O. in losers round 4): 4x Skua, 4x Anhinga

• Top 16 (4 teams, K.O. in losers round 3): 2x Skua, 2x Anhinga

A total of 140 of each ship will be rewarded.

This year Caldari Victory SKINs will be available for 9 hulls: Basilisk, Kitsune, Cerberus, Kestrel, Stork, Nighthawk, Scorpion Navy Issue, Rokh, and Ferox Navy Issue. 

Each match victory, whether in the feeder rounds this weekend or in the main tournament this October, will earn a team ten SKINs. 

The Caldari state is known as a militaristic nation, founded on pillars of duty, loyalty, efficiency, and hard work. It’s a nation built on corporate capitalism, run by eight megacorporations that divide territory amongst themselves. The companies own all real estate, which they lease to their citizens. In addition, government operations and policing are also handled by independent companies funded by each of the megacorporations. Upon bidding for this year’s Alliance Tournament, the megacorporations realised that they could divert funds from other marketing avenues by leveraging additional sponsorship opportunities. The impact of this was that this year’s SKINs, like many competitive sports, are sponsored by many entities within the Caldari State. The final list of sponsors and design to best highlight is still being finalised, but a work-in-progress sample has been supplied by the chief designer.

In addition to the prizes listed above, re-introduced during Alliance Tournament XX, the Alliance Tournament cup will be updated with the winning team’s name and passed to the captain of the winning team. The physical trophy will be updated with the winning team's name, and medals will be issued by the IGC to the teams that make it to the main tournament, dependent on their finishing position.

See you all tomorrow!

Earlier this year, we shared a deep dive into the technology that powers third-party development in EVE Online: the ESI. As the backbone of EVE’s developer ecosystem, ESI connects creators to the universe of New Eden, enabling everything from fleet management tools to industrial planning apps and killboard integrations. These tools have become essential for capsuleers, and the API that supports them deserves the same level of care and attention as the game itself.

Hear it directly from our devs! Check out the accompanying podcast for this dev blog, here:

That article revisited the origins of the API, explained how ESI functions today, and outlined a roadmap for modernizing the platform. The goals were clear: enhance reliability, retire outdated components, and build the foundation for new features.

Since then, significant progress has been made. Monitoring has been expanded to give a clearer picture of how ESI is used, which applications are making requests, how frequently, and how effectively caching is applied. Deprecated endpoints have been removed, early steps toward rate limiting have been put in place, and error handling has been refined. These efforts have made ESI more stable and ready to support new capabilities.

That groundwork has led to the first major feature release under this renewed approach: the launch of Corporation Projects routes. This marks the debut of Data Hub-powered endpoints in ESI, delivering richer data, more efficient pagination, and fewer round-trips for developers. It’s an example of where the platform is headed, and a sign of what’s possible when stability and modernization pave the way for new functionality.

This update takes a closer look at what’s changed since then: the cleanup efforts, the systems put in place, and a preview of what’s coming next.

In our last update, we talked about plans to improve observability within ESI. Over the past few months, that effort has matured into something much more powerful. With the help of Honeycomb, we now have full visibility into incoming requests to ESI and where they’re routed. Whether that’s through Quasar or the Monolith, we can trace the entire path from start to finish.

One of the biggest wins from this has been understanding the real sources of 5xx errors. Until recently, a lot of that was guesswork. Now, we know exactly what's happening.

A few examples worth calling out:

• When the Monolith returned a 404, but the API spec for that route didn’t include 404 as a possible response, ESI translated that into a 500. This led to errors where a 404 would have been the correct and expected result. That behavior has been corrected.

• Our HTTP connection timeout was set to just one second of idle time. Unfortunately, the load balancer expected idle connections to remain open for at least 60 seconds. This mismatch caused a number of 504 errors when connections were closed prematurely. That’s now fixed

These are just two of several issues uncovered and resolved in recent months. The result is a measurable drop in 5xx errors. A before-and-after comparison can be found below.

There are still a few cases left to investigate, and we’ll keep working through them. That said, the current 5xx rate is already very low (roughly one in every 10,000 requests) so most users shouldn’t notice any issues anymore.

For a long time, ESI supported two different authentication methods: one of which, known internally as “v1”, dates all the way back to the earliest versions of the API. The newer “v2” flow uses JWTs, which allow tokens to be verified locally, without reaching out to the SSO on each request. That might seem like a small detail, but when you're handling thousands of requests per second, the difference is massive. JWTs are faster, simpler, and far less demanding on infrastructure.

Although “v1” was officially deprecated back in 2021, support remained in place to avoid disrupting third-party tools that still relied on it. Until recently, though, there wasn’t enough visibility to assess how widely it was still in use.

That changed with the improvements to observability. With full request traces now available, it became possible to identify which applications were still using “v1” tokens by examining User-Agent headers and application IDs. Where possible, affected developers were contacted directly and encouraged to migrate. Once that was done, we published a final deprecation warning and followed through with full removal a few weeks later.

A similar approach was taken with the removal of several outdated route versions. First, we reached out to developers directly, then followed up with public notices before any deprecations were enforced. As tooling continues to improve, this kind of process (observe, inform, take action) is becoming the standard. It’s a cleaner, more predictable way to retire legacy components without surprises.

In recent months, large parts of ESI’s infrastructure have been rebuilt. The goal has been twofold: to modernize systems using current internal standards like Terraform and Go, and to gradually retire legacy components that were no longer serving a clear purpose.

At the center of this overhaul is a new service known as the API Gateway. Its responsibility is to handle incoming requests: checking authentication, enforcing rate limits, validating paths and tenants, and then passing them on to the appropriate backend. By the time a request reaches its destination, it’s already been vetted. This removes the need for backend services to repeat the same checks and makes the overall system simpler and more reliable.

This new architecture also brings improved visibility. With the gateway acting as the single point of entry, traffic can now be observed in greater detail, both in terms of tracing and metrics. That added insight has made it easier to detect issues early and respond more precisely during incidents.

A more detailed breakdown of the gateway’s design and deployment was shared in an earlier blog post. At the time of writing, the final implementation steps are nearly complete. The main piece still in progress is rate limiting, which will be covered next.

As part of our continued effort to manage ESI traffic, we have deployed the first steps toward rate limiting in the API Gateway. This currently is in a “monitor-only” mode. This way we are gathering information about what good rate limits will be before we actually enforce them.

Rate limiting has been a recurring topic internally and within the third-party developer community. Until now, ESI lacked good options for handling problematic traffic. While some patterns were clearly abusive, the main response was IP bans - manual, reactive, and not ideal for anyone involved. A more proactive approach is long overdue.

One extreme case is shown below: a single user sending a flood of requests well beyond anything reasonable. That account was banned. Let it be clear: this kind of traffic is not acceptable.

The more common issue is regular traffic spikes, especially on the hour and half-hour. Routes like /assets/ are frequently hit the hardest, with traffic spiking up to five times above normal. Scaling to meet these peaks puts unnecessary strain on the API Gateway, Monolith, and Quasar. There’s a limit to how far infrastructure can be stretched just to handle burst traffic. Smoothing those spikes is essential.

This mostly applies to larger frameworks and widely used apps. If you’re just getting started or have a small userbase, there’s little cause for concern. But for tools with broad deployment, it’s worth reviewing how requests are scheduled.

Enforcement won’t begin without notice. A detailed blog post will be shared ahead of time to give developers a chance to prepare.

A major upgrade rolled out recently is the migration from Swagger 2.0 to OpenAPI 3.1. OpenAPI is the natural evolution of Swagger, addressing limitations that made it difficult to accurately represent some of ESI’s internal structures. Tooling support has also shifted as many modern tools support only OpenAPI, while Swagger support has steadily declined. With that in mind, we made the decision to migrate all of ESI to OpenAPI.

Alongside the spec upgrade, we also changed how the API is versioned. Versions are now date-based and apply API-wide. This provides clearer insight into how recent a version is, and makes it easier for both internal teams and third-party developers to track which version is in use. The transition was made smoother thanks to the new API Gateway, which allowed the new versioning system to be introduced without breaking existing integrations. Developers can adopt the new model at their own pace (within reason) over the course of about a year from July 2025.

Corporation Projects allow corp leaders to set up collaborative goals for members, like hauling materials, killing hostiles, or contributing ISK, while tracking participation and rewarding members who help. It’s a flexible system for directing group activity without micromanagement. More details on the feature itself can be found in the EVE Academy overview.

Today, the Corporation Projects routes become publicly available

Developers can now query ESI for the following:

• A list of all active corporation projects

• Details of a corporation project including its current state and reward pool

• A list or contributors to the project and their contributions

As mentioned in the previous EVE Evolved update, the long-term goal is to shift most read-heavy traffic to the Data Hub. These routes are the first to follow that model. They’ve been built in close collaboration with the Data Engineering team and mark a step toward decoupling ESI from the Monolith.

The benefits are already visible:

• Richer listing responses: The new project listing route includes detailed, high-level information such as progress, ISK rewarded, and other live metrics—without requiring a follow-up call for each project.

• Cursor-based pagination: Instead of cycling through pages or refreshing every detail view, developers can poll the listing endpoint to see what’s changed. It’s more efficient for applications and easier on the API itself.

• Expanded entity resolution: Where possible, IDs are resolved to names. For example, project creators are shown with both their character ID and name, reducing the need for additional lookups. While this isn’t available for every field, it’s included where practical.

The result is a cleaner, faster integration point that gives developers more upfront and reduces unnecessary round-trips. If the rollout proves successful, this design will serve as the foundation for other new routes in the future.

The next major addition to ESI is support for Freelance Jobs. Much like Corporation Projects, this system will allow developers to access structured data around jobs available across New Eden—what’s being offered, where, by whom, and what the rewards are.

Development is already in progress. Feedback gathered from the Corporation Projects rollout is being fed directly into the design of these new routes, helping us refine the interface and structure before it reaches public release. Freelance Jobs will also adopt the new patterns introduced with Corporation Projects, including richer list data, name resolution, and cursor-based pagination. This should make it easier to build applications that surface a wide variety of in-game activities capsuleers can engage with at any given time.

More details will be shared in the coming weeks as we fine-tune the specifications.

Behind every third-party tool, fitting app, or custom dashboard is the creativity and effort of EVE’s developer community. Whether you're building tools for your corporation, contributing to widely-used frameworks, or just tinkering to enhance your own gameplay, these contributions shape the experience of countless capsuleers.

capsuleers and developers are the driving force behind much of what we do. Every improvement to ESI, from routing to pagination, from new features to cleaner observability, is informed by how the community uses and challenges the platform.

If you’re looking to supercharge your own EVE experience, the Community Tools and Services page is a great place to begin. And if you want a closer look at the ecosystem itself, check out this presentation by RIFT developer and EVE Partner Nohus for insights into the tools, workflows, and ideas shaping the future of third-party development. Also, did you know we have an official Excel add-in for direct access to EVE’s in-game data within spreadsheets?

If you are a developer just getting started or with years of experience under your belt, here are some key resources to explore:

• EVE Developers Portal – Your primary hub for third-party development. Here, you can register applications, access API & SSO documentation, third-party dev blogs and news RSS feed available), and find additional resources to integrate with EVE Online.

• ESI Issues & Feature Requests – The principal repository for tracking bugs, reporting issues, and requesting new ESI features. Both developers and capsuleers can engage here to help shape the future of ESI.

• Join the Discussion on Discord – Hang out with CCP devs and third-party developers by joining the #3rd-party-dev-and-esi channel on the official EVE Online Discord server to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate on new projects. You can also subscribe to the #3rd-party-dev-blog announcement channel to have news delivered directly to your own Discord!

Forsakened Few evicted from their home in J121006 wormhole system known as "Hoth" by a Hard Knocks-led coalition, marking the end of the War in Heaven. Lina Ambre reports for the Scope.

Exploring Capsuleers, 

Over the past several months, we've been tracking the impact of capital ship demand on both the industrial economy and the exploration landscape. With the July 17th Legion update, we took a targeted step toward addressing what we consider an important balance issue: the relationship between exploration sites, rare component acquisition, and the bottlenecks affecting capital and supercapital production. 

This isn’t a sweeping overhaul — yet — but rather a focused intervention intended to smooth a few key pain points, while opening the door for a richer, more rewarding exploration experience. 

We want to walk you through what changed, why we changed it, and what we’re watching closely as things develop. Read below and/or watch CCP Swift chatting about the changes with CCP Kestrel and CCP Okami here:  

Capital production is one of New Eden’s most complex economic chains — and with that complexity come pressure points, many of which are tied to solo explorers who supply critical inputs. To support both explorers and industrialists, we’ve revisited exploration site mechanics and increased drop rates, helping solo players earn more ISK while fueling the capital economy. 

A key issue has been the inconsistent availability of Capital Control Items, which are essential for capital ship construction. These components weren’t entering the ecosystem at sufficient volume, especially after major destruction events like dread brawls. These items are mainly sourced through exploration, and the feedback was clear: The sites weren’t consistent enough relative to their rarity and difficulty. Some were too hard, some were too punishing, and in many cases, the risk-to-reward ratio just didn’t justify the trip. 

Enhanced Neurolink Protection Cell — one of the major bottlenecks relieved  Source: Ravworks 

Our aim with this update is to reduce friction — both in acquiring these components and in moving them back to market — without eliminating the challenge entirely. 

We’ve taken a fresh pass on Covert Research Sites (Ghost Sites), which have long been one of the more intimidating forms of exploration content. The changes here were surgical: 

• Timer ranges tightened: Players should experience more consistency in site behaviour, with a tilt toward more time to complete them 

• Danger-to-reward rebalanced: Ghost sites remain risky, but the payout is now more aligned with the hazard 

• Component volume reduced: Several Capital Control Items (such as Life Support Backup Units and Power Couplings) had their volume reduced, allowing explorers to carry more in frigate-sized hulls 

• Minefields in Aegis Capital Sites have been reduced for smoother navigation 

The thrill of hacking a can and finding a big payday is infectious and a core part of exploration. To facilitate more of this, we have also added Capital Control Items as rare bonus loot in all Sleeper Caches.  These refinements aim to ensure explorers can engage more directly with New Eden’s high-tier industrial economy. 

In parallel, we made a precision adjustment to industry taxes, specifically targeting the SCC surcharge applied to blueprint research: 

• The SCC surcharge is now calculated as 50% of the baseline, which effectively reduces it from 4% to 2% for both Material Efficiency and Time Efficiency research 

This makes R&D and blueprint scaling more accessible to solo, small-group, and newer producers aiming to enter larger manufacturing workflows. While temporary, this change is part of a broader industry review to come. 

These updates are part of our ongoing initiative to iterate quickly and meaningfully, reacting to real-time player data and feedback. Recent improvements to Pyerite refine rates, exploration spawns, and item distribution have been guided by your input, and we’re not stopping here. 

Join the conversation, hear directly from CCP Okami, and participate in brainstorming threads — hop into the EVE Online Discord and share your insights!  

Aye aye and goodbye, 

o7 

Luminous capsuleers,

Solar Fest has arrived — and it's bringing a heat wave of creativity across New Eden!

Make sure to log in every day to claim new and limited-time rewards throughout the week. From crates, and components, to skill points, there’s a new gift daily! You can also truly stand out with the first-ever color-shifting nanocoating, a brilliant new effect for your SKINs that is exclusively available during Solar Fest.

Next, head over to the Paragon Hub where you’ll discover two exclusive new design components that are now available for PLEX —only available during Solar Fest.

Enjoy a huge 50% discount on sequencing costs throughout the event, and on top of that, you’ll save up to 66% on select components to bring your vibrant new SKINs to life.

Solar Fest runs from 15–22 July — don’t miss your chance to unleash your creativity, collect gifts, and get your SKINs in the game.

Also keep an eye out on CCPTV and the EVE Online Discord for some fun SKIN-themed events going on throughout the week! In addition, throughout July, several partnered EVE streamers are taking over the CCP Twitch channel, showcasing diverse gameplay across multiple time zones and in various languages. Each week brings an exclusive Twitch Drop (only on the CCP channel) so tune in this week for a Gnosis GalNet StreamCast SKIN!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/8500/EVE_Online/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1872800/EVE_Vanguard/