EVE Online News

[p]Competitive capsuleers,[/p][p]PvP Fest 2026 is coming! From downtime (11:00 UTC) on 9 February to downtime on 17 February, pilots across New Eden can engage in 1v1 battles with a twist.[/p][p]It’s February. A time of year where special connections are sought and found, leaps of faith are taken into the unknown, people look at others and engage them. In brutal PvP, obviously.[/p][p]Killing is just a means of communication, after all, and while the best ship in EVE might be friendship, you know what’s a close second?[/p][p]Championship![/p][h2]What Is PvP Fest?[/h2][p]This event gives you an opportunity to flex your PvP muscles in a new and fun way. The goal is to score as many kills as you can, provided they fulfill the following criteria:[/p]

• [p]Solo: Defined with the same consistency as zKillboard – scoring a solo kill (with NPCs or sentry guns on the killmail is acceptable.)[/p]
• [p]Uniquely Piloted: Meaning that if you kill “player A” in a ship once, more kills against Player A will not count as additional kills.[/p]
• [p]Individual Ship Kills: Meaning that destroying a specific ship type in a given area of space counts once toward your kill count. For example, if you destroy a Rifter in lowsec, more Rifters in lowsec won’t count. However, if you destroy a Rifter in a different area, such as nullsec, that does count as a new kill. The same applies to all ship types across different areas of space.[/p]

[p]Each kill is counted the same way. Meaning a shuttle and a freighter count as 1 kill each.[/p][p][/p][h2]Prizes:[/h2][p]Speaking of leaderboards, there are two different ones:[/p][p]Overall leaderboard: featuring the top 100 pilots in all of New Eden, based on their total accumulated kills.[/p][p]Local leaderboards: featuring the top 20 pilots in each area of space, as listed above.[/p][p]Overall Leaderboard:[/p][p][/p][p]Local leaderboards (one each for highsec, lowsec, nullsec, wormholes, and Pochven)[/p][p][/p][p]Here are some examples of how this might all play out:[/p]

• [p]I kill a Rifter owned by “Joe” in highsec = 1 kill awarded[/p]
• [p]I kill a Rifter owned by “Joe” in lowsec = no kill awarded as I’ve already killed “Joe”[/p]
• [p]I kill a Rifter owned by “Roger” in lowsec = 1 kill awarded[/p]
• [p]I kill a Catalyst owned by “Roger” in highsec = no kill awarded as I’ve already killed “Roger”[/p]
• [p]I kill a Catalyst owned by “John” in highsec = 1 kill awarded[/p]
• [p]I kill a Catalyst owned by “Mary” in highsec = no kill awarded, as I’ve already killed a Catalyst in highsec[/p]
• [p]After six kills I now have:[/p]
  • [p]3 kills awarded on the overall leaderboard[/p]
  • [p]2 kills awarded on the highsec leaderboard[/p]
  • [p]1 kill awarded on the lowsec leaderboard[/p]

[p]I can still get awarded for killing three more Rifters, one each in Pochven, nullsec, and wormhole space, plus four more Catalysts, in lowsec, nullsec, Pochven and wormhole space.[/p][p]Additionally, the highest value solo kill per area (at zKill rates) will be awarded a 1,000 PLEX bonus.[/p][p][/p][h2]Frequently Asked Questions[/h2][p][/p][p]What’s stopping me from making alts and killing them to increase my score?[/p][p]Nothing is stopping you (or anyone else) from doing that. If you want to spend time, invest in, and then kill 1,500 alts in different ships in different areas of space, that’s up to you.[/p][p]I’m an unstoppable killing machine. Can you help me keep track of all the spacefriends I massacre?[/p][p]Good news, everyone! Squizz will set up a new section on zKillboard for this event! While we’ll have our own internal tools for tracking the final scores, you’ll find a PvP Fest section on your individual pilot page on zKillboard, indicating what you’ve killed and where. Don’t forget to post your kills to zKillboard or sync your EVE account to keep score.[/p][p]How do you expect me to solo an Avatar in lowsec or a Python in highsec?[/p][p]We don’t! It’s just easier to include rare scenarios through the event and let them shine as standout things that someone may find a way to achieve, rather than retroactively accommodating them if someone pulls off the impossible.[/p][p]Isn’t CCP just encouraging ganking in highsec with this challenge?[/p][p]There are plenty of ways to get kills in highsec besides ganking. Declaring war on others, Factional Warfare kills, or duels are all valid methods. Additionally, if a highsec system in an insurgency warzone reaches corruption 5, it still counts as highsec for the purpose of this event, despite its lawless state. The same applies for lowsec systems becoming lawless nullsec systems.[/p][p]How do you determine the finishing position if two people end up with the same score?[/p][p]Whoever achieves that position first will hold it, in the case of a tie.[/p][p]A section of the EVE forums has been set up to answer any other questions that may pop up, supply a few PvP resources, and post the final scores.[/p][p]We look forward to watching you kill and be killed!

o7

[/p]

[p]Glorious Capsuleers,[/p][p]Here we are - It’s 2026 and we’re mid-way through development on our next expansion which we’re dying to tell you about. For more details than this letter could possibly contain, check out our most recent dev chat, here:[/p][p][/p][p]All in all, it’s shaping up to be a banner year for EVE Online as all-out war comes to lowsec, and the Empires come back into focus to pull you into the conflict.[/p][p]But first…[/p][h2]2025: Redrawing the Foundations of EVE Online[/h2][p]It’s impossible to look ahead without first acknowledging the behemoth year that 2025 was for EVE Online! It was a year of hardening the core experiences of EVE Online: We gave mining and industry some necessary love with Catalyst and saw how quickly the meta shifted with fleet-based mining and new resource strategies. With Legion we connected job seekers and job creators across all New Eden with Freelance Jobs and the introduction of ACLs. You took this system and expanded it wildly beyond our expectations. Last year also saw a huge number of dread brawls testing industrialists and logistical folk alike, and the collapse of Horde is something that will be studied and written about for years to come. And who could forget the DOTLAN-style 2D map?[/p][p]For a nice recap of the carnage, betrayal and victories from the year, check our most recent Pulse from December and Scope episodes. You made this happen! And we have plenty to build on in 2026.[/p][p]Let’s get right to it: This year’s Director’s Letter can be summed up with two commitments: Over the next three expansions, we’re going to elevate Factional Warfare into war with real stakes and pull new players into the fight with purpose from day 1. Let’s dive in!
[/p][p][/p][h2]3 Expansions, One Saga:[/h2][p]Things are never quiet in New Eden; somewhere, someone is always on the edge of war. It’s possible to ignore it, but ultimately war shapes everything: economy, politics, borders, relations, and stories. That constant motion is what makes EVE feel alive, and it’s exactly the energy we want to lean into.[/p][p]Over the next three expansions, we’re going all in on Theatres of War, expanding Faction Warfare and formalizing Military Campaigns as a core part of EVE’s future. These won’t be isolated battles, but living conflicts with clear arcs, goals, escalation, and resolution, unfolding across a single connected narrative over time. This represents a shift in how we build EVE; big ambitions will no longer be something we rush to finish in six months, but rather ideas we introduce, build upon, and refine over several expansions. The result is clearer direction, stronger continuity, and the ability to tackle more complex systems. TL; DR: we’re chasing big ideas with real follow-through.[/p][h2]War Leaves Its Mark Across ALL New Eden[/h2][p]Theatres of War are not limited to the frontlines of low security space. The Empire Wars are felt across high sec and low sec alike. Just as in player corporations, conflict should create opportunities for all playstyles to contribute. Fighting, industry, logistics, resource gathering, and support all matter, whether you are on the edge of the battlefield or deep within your home territory.[/p][p]Military Campaigns are designed as storytelling tools. Each one has a beginning, a middle, and an end. They create moments worth committing to, outcomes worth fighting over, and histories worth remembering.[/p][p]This is not about simplifying war or making it safer. It is about making conflict more meaningful and consequential, so that more players can understand where they stand, how they can contribute, and why individual actions matter. Yes, even those of new capsuleers![/p][h2]Going Solo? You Are Not Alone[/h2][p]EVE is a social game, even when you play it alone. But breaking the barrier to social play is hard, especially for new capsuleers. For many pilots, flying solo is simply the starting point. We’re going to make it a good one.[/p][p]This year, we are focusing on giving new players, especially solo and low-confidence pilots, clear purpose and meaningful agency from day one. Military Campaigns are the foundation of that experience: a way for pilots to take on contracts from rival Empires and immediately become part of something larger than themselves.[/p][p]From there, we want to gradually introduce complexity, risk, and opportunity, easing players from solo play into co-existence, co-play, and eventually shared purpose.[/p][p]We have already been building the social tools to support this journey. Corporation Projects, Freelance Jobs, and access-controlled collaboration allow players to contribute without immediate commitment. These systems act as bridges into the wider universe, helping newer players step forward at their own pace.[/p][p]Faction Warfare and structured conflict give players purpose, urgency, and belonging. The stories that these wars create are often what convert a curious new player into a lifelong capsuleer.[/p][p]And the more new players we guide into factional conflict, the more we all win.[/p][h2]War Continues Brewing on The Ground[/h2][p]The stories, conflict, and persistence we all love and know in EVE continue and will be expanded in EVE Vanguard, where development is well underway. It’s a different kind of EVE experience, but one that stays deeply connected to the universe you already know. For example, Vanguard will play a direct role in upcoming Military Campaigns, strengthening the bridge between ground combat and the wider conflicts shaping New Eden.[/p][p]This year, you’ll also have the chance to jump into a new crossover EVE Online and Vanguard World Event, while continuing to explore the mysteries of Avalon, the culture of Warclones, and combined-arms gameplay.[/p][p]The experience is already demonstrating a look and feel that stands confidently alongside EVE Online. We’ll continue developing Vanguard with you through open and closed playtests, using your feedback to shape an experience that feels worthy of the EVE franchise. If you want to help us with this evolution, join the Vanguard Discord and wishlist the game on Steam to follow along with the latest news and tests.[/p][p]A note on dates: Update your calendars, as EVE Vanguard’s Steam Early Access release is moving beyond Summer 2026 — giving us the time needed to deliver a stronger, more fully realized experience for players. More news to come at Fanfest, don’t miss it![/p][h2]What Else Will 2026 Bring?[/h2][p]2026 will bring two expansions, but it will not be limited to them.[/p][p]The year begins with EVE Evolved in February, followed by a major update in March, with more updates and events landing throughout the year. Some will arrive inside expansions, others between them, as we continue to evolve the universe with a steady cadence.[/p][p]EVE Evolved is also a celebration of craft. Alongside gameplay updates, it brings meaningful visual and artistic refinements that elevate how New Eden feels from moment to moment. Our art teams continue to do incredible work, and this update gives some of that work the spotlight it deserves.[/p][p]Several of New Eden’s most beloved events are also returning, including Capsuleer Day, reimagined to reflect where the universe stands today.[/p][p]At Fanfest, we’ll celebrate Project Discovery’s 10th anniversary, share more about the vinyl release Past and Future Sounds of New Eden, and welcome back PLEX for Good as an always-on initiative, giving you new ways to support nominated charities. More details on all of this are coming soon.[/p][p]We’re excited to see many of you at Fanfest and to dig into what’s next together. Until then, tune in to our streams, Discord, and other channels for updates, reveals, and the usual shenanigans.[/p][p]Fly safe!  
CCP Burger and CCP Rattati[/p]

In a massive director’s letter to Capsuleers, EVE Online just revealed its plans for 2026, and many things are coming to New Eden, including expansions, updates, and EVE Vanguard information later in the year.

EVE Online had a massive year in 2025. It was a year of developers strengthening EVE’s core experiences, and Capsuleers could finally embody their inner spelunker through the improvements to the mining industry in Catalyst. With the Legion update, developers expanded the job system by connecting job seekers and job creators across all New Eden with ‘Freelance Jobs’ and the introduction of ACLs (access lists). Today, EVE Online is ready to go beyond 2025, with a director’s letter (and video) showing the major developments for 2026 and beyond.

EVE Online Director’s Letter: All Major Announcements!

• To make EVE Online more approachable for new players, especially those who start without a built-in group to play with. So, EVE... Read more

[p]
A Legion of xXDEATHXx Keepstar is destroyed in the region of Querious, while Dragons Riders Legion lose a Keepstar on the same day in Sahtogas. Alton Haveri reports for the Scope.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Capsuleers,[/p][p]Volatile Ice Storms are roaming New Eden, pilots are busy hunting Yoiul LADs, and taking on seasonal challenges.[/p][p][/p][p]Capsuleers have struck a blow to the heart of EverMore’s corruption, but the final push is still ahead. The anonymous source within Verity Enhancements warns that the Paragon Hub discounts, now in the final week, are mere corporate distractions.
[/p][p][/p][p]The real focus must be on destroying the Yoiul LADs and striking against EverMore. And this final week, the LADs drop more Cryo Tech than before.
[/p][p][/p][p]The seasonal challenge track has been extended and more rewards added, including a whopping 75 PLEX (making the track total 100 PLEX – worth hundreds of millions of ISK on the market), as well as 100,000 Skill Points, a SKIN and Expert System for the new Perseverance ice mining destroyer – itself only available through the seasonal track via BPC – and more.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In addition, the Succubus (Sansha’s Nation frigate) has gotten a ship balance pass to celebrate the final phase of this year’s Winter Nexus. It has received a boost to its lock range, capacitor, power grid, and a new role bonus, reducing the activation cost of small energy turrets. While this coincides with the event, the change is permanent.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The daily login rewards and continued challenge track offer a wealth of stunning Aurora Universalis SKINs and SKINR components, so this is the perfect chance to decorate your ships.[/p][p][/p][h2]Community Fittings & Guides[/h2][p]If you need help to tackle the many activities on offer during the Winter Nexus, updated Community Fittings are now available.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]If you’re looking for more help, capsuleers across New Eden have already put together excellent community guides and videos to get you through any stumbling blocks.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Head to Twitch to watch EVE players take on the Volatile Ice Storms and answer questions. You can also track your progress through the sites using EVE Journal, from the creators of EVE Workbench.[/p][p]Stay tuned for Winter Nexus Twitch Drops as well.[/p][p][/p][p]Keep your momentum with the Winter Festival Pack in the EVE Store, which includes new Yoiul Star SKINs, PLEX, Omega, and more.[/p][p][/p]