VANGUARD RISES - KEYNOTE RECAP

New Eden's war drums are sounding — and they echo with gunfire. At the EVE Vanguard Keynote during Fanfest 2025, CCP peeled back the curtain on the future of EVE Vanguard — the massively multiplayer online first-person shooter set in the EVE Universe. Scheduled for Early Access in Summer 2026, EVE Vanguard brings boots-on-the-ground action to New Eden like never before.

FROM DROP PODS TO DOMINANCE

Think grizzled clone troopers, tactical suits, a warbarge packed with gear, and the cold metal hum of your deployment craft. Players will dive into evolving combat scenarios, from extraction runs and resource mining to contract-driven raids and squad-based ops. Four planned deployment phases will guide players from onboarding to high-stakes missions. And yeah, it starts simple — learn to shoot, craft, extract — but the escalation is real.

ENTER THE BASTIONS

Unveiled in the keynote, Bastions are the persistent, strategic zones where corps and players will battle for dominance. Expect leaderboards, NPC interactions (like the Sisters of EVE and Deathless), player markets, and evolving meta-systems. NPC-controlled bastions will debut at Early Access — but player-controlled bastions are coming. And they’ll be yours to own, defend, and leverage.

GUNS, GEAR, AND GRIT

Suit up with modular combat gear, upgrade your weapon locker, and unleash hell. The keynote teased customizable faction weapons, suits, and drop pod insertion. Tactical depth? Absolutely. Gritty gunplay? You better believe it. There’s even a Clone Creation system for your hardened alter-ego. Immortality’s never looked so brutal.

A DYING PLANET, A LIVING BATTLEFIELD

Vanguard isn’t just a shooter — it’s a canvas. The team showed off environments ranging from lush biomes to crash sites soaked in synthetic decay. All built to tell stories, encourage skirmishes, and feel distinct within the EVE universe.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Mark your calendar: Nemesis Event — Sept 16, 2025. Expect something chaotic. And then? Early Access lands in Summer 2026. In the meantime, wishlist Vanguard, hop into the Discord, and get ready to claim your place on the front lines of New Eden.