CCP Games, the creator of the widely popular space MMO Eve Online, has officially rebranded its much-anticipated blockchain-based survival game, previously known as Project Awakening, as Eve Frontier. In a major announcement, the game studio revealed that Eve Frontier will be fully integrated into the Ethereum blockchain, offering players an expansive, decentralized, player-driven space simulation experience.
Survival in a Collaborative Universe
Eve Frontier continues CCP Games’ legacy of creating immersive, persistent universes, but this time, it is integrating blockchain technology to take the experience to a whole new level. Players must collaborate to survive in a harsh and unforgiving space environment, where every decision has a ripple effect on the universe and its economic systems. As CCP Games’ founder and CEO, Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, described earlier this year, players who choose to go it alone risk facing “certain doom.”
In Eve Frontier, players will be able to build infrastructure, form alliances, and create economies that persist and evolve based on player actions. This immersive sandbox allows for not only survival gameplay but also the opportunity for emergent experiences that evolve the game world over time.
Built on Ethereum’s Layer-2 Network Redstone
A significant part of the Eve Frontier experience is its deep integration with blockchain technology. The game will be developed on Ethereum and leverage Redstone, a layer-2 scaling network built using Optimism technology. Redstone is designed specifically to meet the demands of fully on-chain gaming, providing the scalability needed to support the game’s decentralized and autonomous structure.
This use of Redstone will enable players to create and deploy in-game assets, infrastructure, and even their own virtual economies. Eve Frontier will feature two primary cryptocurrency tokens:
- EVE Token: Minted on Ethereum, this utility token can be exchanged as a store of external value.
- LUX Token: Primarily used for in-game transactions and functionalities within the Eve Frontier universe.
One of the standout features is that players and in-game alliances will be able to create their own currencies, enabling a more dynamic and complex economy. Tokens can be used to reward developers who contribute to the game world, further fostering a player-driven ecosystem.
An Open-Source Gaming Infrastructure
A key differentiator of Eve Frontier is its use of CCP’s proprietary Carbon game engine, which the studio plans to open source. This means that developers can modify and build upon the game’s code, allowing for endless possibilities in terms of modding, content creation, and new game mechanics.
Furthermore, Eve Frontier will incorporate MUD, an on-chain game engine developed by Lattice, a key contributor to the Redstone network. This enables players and developers alike to create custom functionality via Ethereum’s Solidity programming language, which can be linked to decentralized apps (dApps). This integration opens the door to a wide array of programmable elements within the game, from storage facilities to trading posts and beyond.
For instance, players can create Smart Storage Units (SSUs), which are anchored structures in space that can store and dispense various forms of inventory, including currencies and items. With the addition of Smart Assemblies, these structures can be further programmed to serve a multitude of purposes, such as functioning as marketplaces, quest-giving hubs, bounty hunter stations, or even arcade machines.
A New Era for Blockchain Gaming
As blockchain gaming continues to evolve, Eve Frontier is positioning itself as a trailblazer in the space. With the announcement of its closed beta playtest on September 27 and the promise of “founder access” for players on PC and Mac, excitement is building for the game’s official launch.
The game’s development has been backed by a $40 million funding round in 2023, led by venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz. This funding is expected to fuel CCP’s blockchain ambitions, as the company aims to redefine the survival genre with a blend of intense space exploration, player-driven economies, and the limitless potential of a decentralized universe.
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The Future of Eve Frontier
For CCP Games, Eve Frontier represents more than just the next iteration of its space simulation legacy—it’s a reimagining of what games can be in the blockchain era. In a statement, Pétursson described Eve Frontier as “redefining the survival genre by fusing intense space survival gameplay with the limitless emergent potential of a player-driven, persistent sandbox universe.”
With the promise of player-generated content, programmable structures, and player-run economies, Eve Frontier may be a turning point for the blockchain gaming industry. As players explore space, exploit its resources, and shape its economic and political landscapes, they are likely to find that every decision they make in this dark and uncompromising universe has long-lasting consequences.
CCP Games invites players to join in on building the next chapter of its storied history, blending survival, collaboration, and economic innovation into a truly player-driven experience.