Dates for EVE's next expansion, retail launch confirmed in video interview
by James Egan 
Jan 6th 2009 at 6:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Expansions, Interviews, MMO industry
Hilmar V. Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games, has given a rather softspoken video interview with Gamereactor on where the sci-fi title EVE Online is today, and what's on the horizon. The interview seems intended for those who haven't played the game before -- as Hilmar gives an intro to the game and its single world setting -- or perhaps gamers who haven't gotten their feet wet in a massively multiplayer online game yet, as he highlights some of the benefits of incorporating more social aspects into video games.
Hilmar gives some history of the company, discussing how CCP Games has grown into having nearly 400 employees at present, with 300 of them focused on the next expansion and its retail launch (in partnership with Atari). The next expansion -- which will include Tech III and wormhole exploration -- will go live on March 10th, and EVE Online will appear on retail shelves on March 12th. Check out the video interview over at Gamereactor for more on the upcoming EVE expansion.
Update -- embedded video below the cut:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Abriael said on 7:56PM 1-06-2009
Personally, I think that they should really concentrate on their station ambulation expansion. new tech and new space is all fine and dandy, fun even, but the lack of the ability to walk around outside of your capsule is a gaping (worm)hole in the game at the moment, and that's what turns off many new players even more than the learning curve.
On a side note, instead, I'm not sure i like the idea of the gap between old players and new ones being increased further. EVE is already a game in which catching up or even getting close is quite hard. But that's just a personal sentment.
Reply
Dirame said on 10:35AM 1-07-2009
Even though it is not in the article ambulation IS coming with the new expansion in March and as they said the new expansion is intended to pull in new players if they want to do that they will have to have ambulation(walking in stations).
W. Graves said on 1:03PM 1-07-2009
@ dirame- the ambulation expansion is still almost a year out if I'm not mistaken, earliest I would say middle of summer.
On a separate note, can we have retail game time cards, I usually get gift certificates for holidays/birthdays and making these into game time cards would be fantastic.
Lateris said on 9:51AM 1-07-2009
Did CCP work it out with their government? Are incoming funds still on hold?
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James Egan said on 4:01PM 1-07-2009
Lateris, the last thing I've heard regarding this is that they would not be leaving Iceland.
Also to address a comment above, Walking in Stations/Ambulation will not be rolling out in March with the next expansion.
Confirmation:
http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=966789
m said on 6:41PM 1-07-2009
I am glad that they are not leaving Iceland. Thank you. And I am waiting for avatars. Perhaps they are working on content for the avatars?