Thoughts On EVE Frontier After EVE Fanfest

At EVE Fanfest I attended all of the presentations about one of CCP Games' projects currently under development, EVE Frontier. I have the feeling the videos of the sessions will have a low priority to be posted to YouTube, so I'll just give an overview of my thoughts while the sessions are still relatively fresh in my mind.

First, I think if Frontier is actually EVE 2.0, the project is looking towards addressing some of the perceived weaknesses of the original. For example, when EVE Online launched back in 2003 the omnipotent police force CONCORD wasn't so omnipotent. When powerful outlaw groups disrupted high sec routes, other players were unable to handle the situation themselves. Instead of letting these groups cripple trade the developers made the choice of turning CONCORD into the invincible force we know today. Using the example of Provibloc, the Frontier team spelled out a way CVA and allied groups could have set up their own standings system. The same could have helped back in the early days of EVE Online.

But I'm thinking of other nagging issues as well. Remember how many suggestions to solve the AFK cloaky camping issue by instituting the use of fuel? Or how local chat shouldn't serve as an intelligence tool? Or even that asteroids should serve to block incoming fire? All of these ideas are making their way to Frontier.

As I listened to the presentations I couldn't help but think of Cloud Imperium Games. A few years back they increased the development staff of Squadron 42 while players were demanding faster progress on Star Citizen. Chris Roberts told the players that advances in technology for Squadron 42 would be ported into Star Citizen. After all, the two games used the same engine so doing so made sense, right?

CCP Games is doing the same with EVE Frontier. The game under development will serve as a test bed for EVE Online. The obvious example is the Carbon engine. Frontier uses the newer version utilizing Python 3.12 while EVE Online's version of the engine still uses Stackless Python 2.7. But will the new map improvements coming to the EVE Online map do so from Frontier? While the two games are significantly different, some shared features may show up in Frontier first.

If Frontier were just about CCP making an EVE 2.0 the effort wouldn't raise eyebrows outside the EVE player base. But the development team is also creating a game utilizing blockchain technology. After listening to CCP Coin's presentation on Frontier's economic principles, I realized I needed to add a new condition to evaluating Web3 games: trust.

Players need to trust the games they play. EVE Online had its big scandal involving trust almost two decades ago. The T20 scandal in 2007 involved a CCP Games developer known as CCP T20. He was discovered to have used his developer privileges to unfairly benefit the Band of Brothers (BoB) alliance by manipulating the lottery system for Tech 2 Blueprint Originals (T2 BPOs). This gave BoB a significant advantage in the game’s economy and warfare.

When the scandal was exposed, CCP initially attempted to suppress discussions about it but later admitted to the wrongdoing after mounting pressure. Instead of firing CCP T20, the company had him publicly apologize and introduced new internal policies to prevent similar incidents in the future. This led to the creation of CCP’s Internal Affairs department and the Council of Stellar Management (CSM), which serves as a player-elected watchdog group.

Players also need to trust transactions in games. A famous example from EVE Online was the warp-to-zero bookmark scam. The Warp to Zero bookmark scam in Online was a deceptive trick that exploited the game's old mechanics before warp-to-zero was a built-in feature.

How It Worked:

• Selling Fake Bookmarks – Before warp-to-zero was officially implemented, players had to create bookmarks near gates to warp directly to them instead of landing 10-15km away.
• Scammers Sold "Warp to Zero" Bookmarks – Some players advertised bookmarks that supposedly allowed instant warping to gates, stations, or safe spots.
• The Catch – Many of these bookmarks were misplaced or completely useless, leading buyers to land far from their intended destination—sometimes in dangerous territory.

Why It Was Effective:

• Players were desperate for faster travel and often trusted sellers without verifying the bookmarks.
• Once the transaction was completed, there was no way to reverse it—the buyer was stuck with useless bookmarks.

CCP Coin's presentation flipped the matter of trust on its head. Instead of the blockchain creating player mistrust, the Web3 tech would increase trust in player-to-player transactions and lead to the creation of a stable player-run financial system. Such a financial system, one of CCP's desired goals in Online, didn't quite reach the level of adoption hoped for due to trust issues. The former Icelandic central banker used the EBank bank collapse in 2009 as an example.

The EBank scandal in EVE Online was one of the most infamous financial scams in the game's history. EBank was a player-run financial institution that operated similarly to a real-world bank, allowing players to deposit ISK (the in-game currency) and take out loans. However, in 2009, the bank collapsed after its CEO, Ricdic, embezzled 200 billion ISK and exchanged it for real-world money—approximately $6,100 AUD.

What Happened?

• Ricdic stole 200 billion ISK from EBank’s holdings.
• He converted the stolen ISK into real money through third-party sites, violating EVE Online’s End User License Agreement (EULA).
• CCP banned Ricdic, but the damage was already done—EBank suffered a massive run on withdrawals, leading to its downfall.

Why It Was Significant:

• It demonstrated how EVE Online’s player-driven economy could mirror real-world financial systems, including bank runs and fraud.
• It reinforced CCP’s strict stance against real-money trading (RMT).
• The scandal led to widespread distrust of player-run banks, making similar ventures rare in later years.

Honestly I'm not sure the use of a blockchain will accomplish what the Frontier team is hoping for. While the hiring of Stefán "CCP Kalirha" Þórarinsson was only announced two months ago, he has a much more impressive resume than I do where economics is involved than I do. Thus, I will, as the Russians say, доверяй, но проверяй (trust, but verify).

Finally, I do have some major concerns involving enforcement of the game's terms of service and compliance with government laws and regulations. Honestly even after attending the presentation I'm not sure what EVE Net actually is. I'm pretty sure acting as an interface between the game world and real world is part of the definition. But is EVE Net an actual platform? I'll need to research the matter further.

Edit: 8 May 2025 - I listed the wrong blockchain. It should be Redstone, not Polygon.

I do know the Frontier team is using the Polygon blockchain Redstone blockchain which is designed to work with Ethereum. Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Here’s a summarized description.

1. Blockchain Structure - Ethereum operates on a distributed ledger, meaning transactions are recorded across multiple nodes globally. This ensures transparency and security.
2. Smart Contracts - Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily handles transactions, Ethereum allows developers to create smart contracts—self-executing agreements with predefined rules. These contracts run on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
3. Consensus Mechanism - Ethereum transitioned from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS), making it more energy-efficient. Validators stake ETH to secure the network and validate transactions.
4. Ether (ETH) - ETH is Ethereum’s native cryptocurrency, used for transaction fees, staking, and interacting with dApps.
5. Decentralized Applications (dApps) - Ethereum hosts thousands of dApps, including DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and decentralized exchanges.

An important question is whether Frontier will need to run on a more centralized blockchain to meet governmental regulations? In the EVE Net session the subject of laws was broached by a question about casinos, which can violate national gambling laws. A prime example that came to mind is complying with the European Union's "right to erasure" embedded in the General Data Protection Regulation. If the blockchain is forever but the EU thinks differently, how does CCP resolve the conflict? From the session I learned those issues are still under discussion.

When the videos of the Fanfest presentations hit YouTube I hope to do a more detailed breakdown. But for now I wanted to get some thoughts up in a post before news of Fanfest reaches its expiration date.

EVE Fanfest 2025 - EVE Keynote

The final session of day 2 of EVE Fanfest was the EVE Keynote. I won't do a comprehensive breakdown of the session, but enough notable items were identified to warrant pointing them out for players of CCP Games' many games.

First on stage was CCP Games' Chief Executive Officer Hilmar Veigar Pétursson. After presenting a history of EVE Fanfest, Hilmar noted that EVE was becoming a platform with two games, EVE Online and the currently under development first person shooter EVE Vanguard. He urged people to visit Steam and put Vanguard on their wish list to help with the algorithm. CCP has even created a campaign similar to Kickstarter's stretch goals.

Hilmar then announced a big event called Nemesis occurring on 16 September 2025. 

Hilmar proceeded to talk about the other game under development, EVE Frontier. Not really a lot of news about the game except the project has progressed to the point the team was at Fanfest discussing the game. The news about Frontier Hilmar made were the gaming shows Frontier would appear on this summer.

Hilmar did confirm that Frontier is in effect working as a test platform for both the upgrade of the Carbon engine to Python 3 and the conversion of the engine to be open source. For those paying attention to the strings of dev blogs, the work on Frontier filters into EVE Online through the EVE Evolved technical track.

CCP Orca followed Hilmar to discuss the happenings on the publishing side of EVE. Now, the swords for the active alliances that have reached 10 years of existence and the Alliance Tournament trophy are nice stories, but CCP Orca did announce some news. First, Galaxy Conquest has reached 680 thousand installs. Perhaps not great for a mobile game but solid numbers for Pearl Abyss. The next season begins at the end of May.

Of note are plans to expand the tournament scene. The tournament tools will receive an upgrade and released to players so they can hold their own tournaments.

Titan Forge Games and CCP Games are releasing the EVE: War For New Eden board game, with the first tournament being held at Fanfest. The pair are going to develop a dice game, details to be released soon.

Next up were EVE Online Game Director CCP Rattati and Creative Director CCP Berger. CCP Rattati outlined a new approach to onboarding new players, one advocated by major null sec alliances for at least a decade. Get out of the way, give players the tools, and let other players teach new players how to play. Despite the existence of organizations like EVE University, the desire is to give a major role to the major null sec alliances. Given the success, or the lack thereof, of CCP's efforts throughout the years, perhaps the shift is for the best. Just don't expect career agents to be fixed now.

CCP Rattati then proceeded to make the major updates seen in the Equinox and Revenant expansions an official part of the development cycle. I did see where some EVE players have described the move as a de facto return to the old quarter system. However, the move to me seems more like the Final Fantasy XIV development schedule of a major .X point patch every 4 months with a minor .X5 patch every two months. CCP Rattati confirmed plans for a third major patch for the summer expansion during the third quarter of 2025.

CCP Berger came back on-stage and introduced the next EVE Online expansion, Legion. The expansion will launch on 27 May 2025. I was a little surprised at the timing as the last two summer expansions, Viridian (2013) and Equinox (2014), both launched in June.

CCP Okami and his team provided further information about Legion. Features planned are map upgrades, freelance jobs (a form of corporation project), ESI updates to support freelance jobs, corp palletes for the SKINNR system and updates to the corporation logo editor. The Equinox sovereignty system will also see the addition of three new categories of sovereignty upgrades. One of the upgrades will allow generating system effects similar to those found in wormholes. Finally, attacking entities in null sec warfare will have the ability to capture skyhooks instead of going through the experience of destroying the structures and the building and installing their own.

Well, not quite finally. No EVE expansion is complete without new ships. Legion will see the introduction of two. First is a Triglavian marauder, the Babaroga. The other is the long awaited Angel Cartel dreadnaught, the Sarathiel. The Angel dreadnaught will have the unique ability to use capital micro-jump drives even while sieged. 

Up next was CCP Collins to talk about EVE Vanguard. The big news he announced was a Steam early access launch date of summer of 2026. Players will also have access to the game through the EVE launcher. The early access is the point players will have 24/7 access to the game servers.

And of course, the presentation ended with a trailer.

The EVE keynote served as the introduction to the other keynotes given on Saturday so this piece is just focused on what I consider major, or at least noteworthy, news. Was I excited as I left the main hall of Harpa? Not really. Nothing really blew my socks off except the 2D map option coming to EVE Online. But as the company's leadership made crystal clear back in 2019, I'm not the target audience CCP is looking for. We'll have to look at places like Eve-Offline and various metrics in the game to find out how the message from the EVE keynote was really received.

EVE Fanfest: Wandering Around Reykjavik (Kind of)

The last 24 hours weren't too bad. I started last night off with a trip up to the Sky Lounge, the Center Hotel Arnarhvoll's bar. Located on the top floor, the place is a nice, quiet bar with a nice view of the harbor. I did discover that years of non-drinking have taken their toll and one beer had me buzzing. Considering I had a Gul Light I think I am now officially in the lightweight category.

Afterwards I decided to take one more walk. I went over to the 10-11 shop on Austurstræti. The 7/11 equivalent is at the bottom of the hill close to the Center Plaza. Perhaps more importantly Austurstræti houses a bunch of restaurants and pubs like The Laundromat Cafe, The English Pub and The American Bar. 

The view of The English Pub and American Bar facing Parliament

Across the street from 10-11 is a nice bistro I've visited over the years. A couple of CCP devs were over in front of the place talking to people. I went in, bought a couple bottles of Fanta and some snacks, and went over and talked to CCP Convict. I had a nice chat and left him because I was starting to get cold. I left him talking to people with someone urging him inside. Hopefully he didn't stay outside much longer. If he caught a cold, it wasn't my fault.

I woke up Tuesday morning jet-lagged, sore from walking up and down Reykjavik's hills, and maybe just a little hungover. I managed to get to the Sky Lounge for breakfast at 8 am. The meal was the usual buffet type arrangement but the scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon were all cooked well. Personally, I'll give a place an extra star if the eggs come out right.

When I got back to my room I surfed the net looking for a little news. Failing that I watched the latest antics in the WNBA drinking water the entire time, laid down for an hour, and finally felt human around noon. Which, I should add is 7 am in Chicago, meaning my body clock still hasn't adjusted.

Lunchtime meant taking a stroll to see what was built around Harpa. Back in 2018 construction equipment was everywhere. Now in 2025 I see a new hotel and some high-end stores and other businesses. At least, they looked high end from the outside. Apparently a national investment fund from Abu Dhabi bought the hotel from the original owners.

The Edition (left) and Harpa (right)

I didn't remember the Icelandic Coast Guard docking ships so close to Harpa. The ship in the middle of the picture above is the ICGV Freyja. Acquired in 2021, the Freyja was not in service the last time I visited Reykjavik. I knew the harbor area featured new things, but a new ship was not on my list.

I eventually made my way to my destination: 101 Bistro. I always try to stop in for some fish & chips (fried cod and french fries for Americans) whenever I attend Fanfest. I also had a glass of Viking so the meal cost around $38. Maybe a little expensive but I can say I didn't just eat what I normally eat at home.

Oh, and on the way back to the hotel I picked up some more soda and a Kit-Kat bar. Unlike the United States, Kit-Kats are made by Nestle, not Hershey. I never really thought the two chocolates were that different until I ate my first Kit-Kat in Bulgaria. Ever since, I try to pick up a Kit-Kat whenever I travel abroad.

Now it's time to wrap up my first full day in Reykjavik. I need to do a little research before Thursday and staying in and not drinking might be smart. Hopefully early registration will occur Wednesday.

Travel Day To EVE Fanfest 2025

I succeeded in making my way to the Center Hotel Arnarhvoll overlooking the Harpa convention center and concert hall in Reykjavik. My last trip to the world's northernmost capital city was seven years ago, which coincidentally was the last time EVE Fanfest was held in Harpa. I thought I'd record some of the differences this year compared to my seven previous visits. And perhaps a few people might find something useful to take away.

The first thing I noticed was the ease in which I could obtain electronics designed for European electrical outlets. Going back to my travels to Bulgaria back in 2010 I always found finding adapters a pain. This year all I had to do is do a quick search on Amazon and I received everything in a day. I was even a little surprised because one piece arrived the same day I placed the order. Absolutely amazing compared to my previous travel experiences.

The second is inflation has really hit. The biggest piece of sticker shock was the trip to and from O'Hare Airport. The price has increased 50% since my last trip to EVE Vegas. Now, I have to admit some things have changed. The tip is probably included now because I didn't even have to pull out my credit card. All the charges were pre-handled. In return I received some piece of mind because I was receiving text messages letting me know they were setting up the trip. The driver arrived as I was putting the lock on my checked luggage. Really nice service.

Did I mention I flew Saga Class on Icelandair? Okay, the entertainment system was out for the trip. But I credit the seating for my ability to sleep on the flight. Sure, I didn't sleep well but I did sleep which made a difference for running around in the afternoon. I missed the meal but can testify the chocolate chip muffin was first rate. But the biggest improvement was probably access to the lounge. Icelandair doesn't have a lounge of its own in Chicago but I was able to access the one run by the Polish airline LOT. I had gotten through security and customs a lot faster than I thought I would and had three hours to kill. I really appreciated the lounge LOT runs and can't wait to see Icelandair's lounge on my way back.

My first roadbump occurred in the LOT lounge when I realize I forgot my charging cable for my phone. I have an old phone that uses a Type B micro cable. I was hoping to find one when I got to Keflavik airport as I sometimes think Keflavik is more shopping mall than airport.

As I hoped, Keflavik delivered. The airport has an electronics store, Elko, that has a wide range of cables, outlets, headphones, etc. Not only did the shop have the old cable but is located right by the luggage carousals so getting my replacement was really convenient. Plus, I didn't have to worry about recharging my phone's battery meaning I didn't need to buy a watch.

At this point I should make an observation. The reports of EVE's demise will only hold water once the customs officials don't recognize the mention of EVE Fanfest. Once again, telling the person checking my passport I was in the country to attend the convention was all the explanation required.

Speaking of Keflavik, the luggage unloading really impressed me. By the time I walked around the airport and did my impromptu shopping almost everyone had picked up their luggage. I'm used to O'Hare, one of the world's busiest airports. Flying into a much smaller airport brought some benefits.

Now, I did some trip preparation which paid off when arranging for my bus trips to and from Reykjavik. I'm carrying a notebook and on the first page is my travel information. Things like flight times and hotel details. Well, I'm not very good speaking Icelandic so I resorted to pointing to the notebook when explaining where I was going.

I was blown away when I reached the hotel. My 7 previous trips had prepared me to wait until check-in time unless I took advantage of a "early check-in" offer. My plan was to avoid the wait by taking a 10:15 pm flight out of Chicago, arrive at the hotel around 11-11:30 am, drop off my luggage and eat at The Laundromat Cafe. I walked into the lobby with an EVE playing couple a little after 11:30 am and we went up to the counter. Imagine my surprise when the nice young lady told me my room was already prepared and I could check in. I quickly took advantage, got up to my room, unpacked and took a shower, and was out the door walking around Reykjavik by 12:30 pm.

Needless to say, I accomplished the mission and found The Laundromat Cafe. And yes, the cheeseburger was just as good as I remembered although I now regret ordering a milkshake as well. I didn't know the exchange rate and my cheesburger, fries, and Fanta only cost around $30. I could have had a milkshake for only $4 more.

I picked up some ibruprofen on the way back from the hotel at a pharmacy. Unlike the United States where just about everywhere sells the drug, Europeans require going to a pharmacy where the drug is sold over-the-counter.

Armed with a full belly, some pain reliever, and a big bottle of water, I returned back to the hotel, took a nap, and wrote this first post from Reykjavik. Technically I still have 2 hours to go before my first 24 hours is complete, but I want to check out the hotel bar tonight. Tomorrow, I imagine the attendees will begin trickling in and I'll want to find some EVE players out and about drinking and eating as attendees of EVE Fanfest are wont to do.

New Changes To PLEX?

CCP Games announced the company was making a change in EVE Online's in-game New Eden Store on the Friday before Fanfest. The subject of concern is the the venerable currency known as PLEX. CCP has indicated the company has plans to change the system.

In 2008 CCP introduced an RMT token into EVE known as the Pilot's License Extension. An RMT token refers to a virtual item or currency in a game exchangeable for real-world money or vice versa. "RMT" stands for Real Money Trading, which involves transactions where players buy or sell in-game assets, accounts, or currency using actual money.

For example, in games like EVE Online, PLEX can be considered an RMT token because it allows players to legally trade in-game currency for real-world money value within the game's official system. However, unauthorized RMT activities outside the game's ecosystem are against the terms of service and can lead to penalties including account termination.

The original purpose of PLEX in EVE was to provide players with a way to pay for their game subscription using in-game currency. Players could purchase PLEX with real money and then sell it on the in-game market for ISK (Interstellar Kredits). The system allowed players to effectively fund their subscription through gameplay, creating a bridge between real-world money and the in-game economy. 

PLEX remained relatively unchanged until May 2017. The introduction of free-to-play gaming in the form of alpha accounts was introduced in Ascension release in November 2016.

However, the planned in-game cash shop currency, Aurum, was unpopular and ditched in favor of a revamped PLEX. On 9 May the following changes were implemented to PLEX.

1. PLEX Denomination Change: The shift from 1 PLEX to 500 PLEX was introduced to provide more flexibility for players. This change allowed smaller transactions and made PLEX more versatile for in-game purchases.

2. Aurum Removal: Aurum, the previous in-game currency, was phased out. Players with Aurum balances were compensated with PLEX, ensuring a smooth transition.

3. New Eden Store Updates: The New Eden Store was revamped to accommodate the new PLEX system, enhancing the shopping experience for players.

Despite some spikes, the price of PLEX remained relatively stable in the following 4 1/2 years, only rising by 8%, from 2,549,000 ISK on 9 May 2017 to 2,752,000 on 1 January 2022. 

The year 2022 was in some respects a watershed moment in the history of CCP Games. With revenue failing to keep up with costs, CCP made two decisions that impacted the PLEX market. First, as Friday's dev blog noted, CCP began introducing EVE Store products to the New Eden Store. According to the article, doing so allowed players to purchase them for PLEX and created a sort of parity between the stores. In other words, the company increased the uses, and thus the demand, for PLEX from those who purchased the currency with ISK.

Next, in May 2022 CCP raised prices. The monthly subscription cost for Omega accounts was raised for the first time since 2004. For example, the 1-month Omega subscription increased from $14.95 to $19.99. Discounts were offered for longer subscription tiers, such as 2-month and 24-month plans. The pricing and tiers for PLEX bundles were also restructured and the prices overall raised. In other words, higher real world PLEX prices resulted in an incentive to not purchase PLEX and cut down on the supply.

Rising demand plus lower supply usually means rising prices. And as I learned over lunch at a soup joint in Reykjavik at Fanfest in 2014, lower PLEX sales for CCP and game time code sellers as well. Apparently most people don't have a plan to spend $50 on EVE ISK and get as much as they can. Instead, players will figure out how much ISK they need and spend the minimum amount of real world currency to obtain the amount. Which means the higher the in-game ISK price of PLEX is, the less money CCP will reap from players buying ISK for dollars/euros/pounds/etc.

How bad was the inflation rate for PLEX? From the beginning of 2022 to the launch of the Equinox expansion 2 1/2 years later the average price of PLEX in The Forge rose 87.5% to 5,160,000 ISK. A commodity that had risen in price by 0.15%/month 1.2%/month for 55 65 months was now rising in price an average of 2.9%/month. 

Correction 6 July 2025: The figure from the change in PLEX in May 2017 to October 2022 should have been 1.2% over 65 months not 0.15% over 55 months.

The blaring issue with the supply problems with PLEX makes the next feature introduced in Equinox rather puzzling. The SKINNR system, the system in which players can design custom SKINs for their ships, requires PLEX. For those who don't want to wait, more PLEX is required. And yet, I didn't see any effort to incentivize the purchase of PLEX to put on the market with real world money. But perhaps surprisingly the average price of PLEX in The Forge has only increased 18%, up to 6.1 million ISK, in the 10 months since the launch of the Equinox expansion.

According to Friday's dev blog, here are the steps CCP has undertaken to address the situation.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

• AIR Daily Goals now include PLEX as a permanent reward, creating a steady stream of accessible PLEX for active players.
• Seasonal events increasingly feature PLEX in their seasonal reward tracks.
• Occasional PLEX gifts mark special milestones and in-game events.
• Mysterious GalNet Crates I and II, featured in Twitch Drops and tradeable on the in-game market, also offer a chance at PLEX.

These steps help, but we know they’re not enough.

We’re exploring additional tools and mechanics that can rebalance the flow of PLEX, making it feel less like a speculative asset and more like a practical, fluid currency that powers your in-game choices.

I have additional thoughts about what I read. I'm also sure CCP Games will provide more details in the Fanfest presentations next week. But for now I really do need to pack everything now that my laundry's done. Which reminds me, I really do need to check out the Laundromat Cafe once I get to Reyjavik. 

Thoughts Before Travelling To EVE Fanfest 2025

Next week I'll post from Reykjavik as I attend my eighth EVE Fanfest. Somehow I've managed to attend all the events held in the Harpa concert hall and conference center. The facility opened in 2011 and Fanfest was held in the building from 2012-2018. And, like myself, Fanfest returns in 2025.

I had heard stories and talked to people who made the pilgrimage to the northernmost capital city on Earth who had quit playing EVE but wanted to meet up with old friends from the game. This year I'm not exactly in that situation but for the first time in my 8 trips to Reykjavik, 4 trips to Las Vegas and one trip to Toronto I'm not excited about playing EVE Online.

Up until the beginning of March I was getting back into the swing of the game. My planetary interaction colonies were doing well and I was looking at expanding from 6 planets to 12. I was involved with public contracts in Minmatar space and had started to expand into making runs to Dodixie. I had done one level of Project Discovery every day for the first two months of the year. I even manufactured a Porpoise and was looking for fits.

And then I ran across a video. The Oz did an interview with CCP Rattati, the game director for EVE Online. Apparently the idea of selling ships and linking the sale to the in-game corporation Paragon is not dead yet. One of the justifications to selling the ships was to aid new players. Invoking Malcanis' Law to sell things to new players when they were down? Something just snapped and I've barely logged into the game since.

But I still have presentations I want to see. Perhaps the news for the summer expansion will renew my interest. Or perhaps moving onto EVE Frontier is the proper course for me. I almost feel like I'm going to a timeshare presentation except the object is my gaming time instead of a time to spend at a vacation resort. Either way I really do need to pay attention to the Fanfest content this year.

And even without the convention I would want to walk around downtown Reykjavik and see what, if anything's, changed after the pandemic lockdowns. I'm getting old so I probably won't walk up to Hallgrimskirkja, the big cathedral sitting on the hill overlooking the city, but I probably will manage to walk around and get a sub. 

Maybe even one of Reykjavik's hot dogs. The last time I was in Reykjavik the the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand was closed (or at least moved) due to construction. I'd like to visit the stand at least once this trip.

I also want to make a trip to The Laundromat Cafe. If Trip Advisor is accurate the place is still open. Or has it reopened? Either way I really would like to make a stop in the place as well.

Those are my thoughts for now. Unless something comes up in the next 48 hours or so my next post will come from Reykjavik. Now I have to finish up the workday, check over my electronics, and pack.

System Requirements For EVE Frontier And EVE Vanguard: Fanfest 2025 Edition

CCP Games, due to the nature of its games, has a smaller-than-normal potential player pool. The Icelandic game studio is very fond of full-loot PvP sandbox games. The company's flagship game, EVE Online, fits the description and a game under development, EVE Frontier, falls within the same genre. Which means the studio must reduce friction to player interest in other areas to build up a healthy player base for its games.

Heading into next week's EVE Fanfest CCP will showcase two games under development, EVE Frontier and a first person shooter, EVE Vanguard. I thought I'd post the known system requirements for the two games and compare them to the Steam Hardware & Software Survey for March 2025. Will the hardware requirements keep the number of potential players down?

First up is EVE Frontier. According to the FAQ, the minimum and recommended requirements are the same as EVE Online's. Makes sense since both use the Carbon engine.

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: MacOS or Windows 10 64-bit
• CPU: Dual Core @ 2.0 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Video: AMD Radeon 5450 or NVIDIA GeForce 420 or better with at least 1024 MB VRAM

Recommended Requirements

• OS: MacOS or Windows 10 64-bit
• CPU: Intel i7-7700 or AMD Ryzen 7 1700 @ 3.6 GHz or greater
• RAM: 16 GB or higher
• Video: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 580 or better with at least 4 GB VRAM

As expected, the operating system is pretty universal amongst Steam users. Ninety-six percent of Steam users run either Windows 10 or 11 and another 1.5% run a Mac operating system. The CPU speed also should not pose an issue. For the minimum requirements, over 99% of Steam users have CPUs at least 2.0 GHz or faster. The recommended speed, though, is a little restrictive. While Steam doesn't use 3.6 GHz as a breakpoint, only 2.5% of Steam users own a CPU 3.7 GHz or faster.

The news is better on the number of physical cores. Basically only 0.03% of Steam users own a computer with only 1 processing core. For the recommended requirements, the listed cards have 6 cores. A total of 79% of Steam users own cards with 6 or more cores.

The amount of RAM required to run the two games is also a bonus. For the minimum required 4 GB of RAM, 99.97% of Steam users have the required memory installed. For the recommended amount, 85.5% of Steam users have 16 GB of RAM in their computers.

To give a hint as to whether the average Steam user has a video card capable of running EVE Frontier, the median user owns a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. 94.9% of Steam users have the 1 GB of video RAM required to run the games at minimum level and 84.9% at the recommended level.

When we get to EVE Vanguard the hardware requirements are a little higher.

Minimum:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (21H2/19044) / Windows 11 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

Recommended:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (Latest) / Windows 11 64-bit (Latest)
• Processor: Intel i5-11600K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT

The processors listed on Steam are a little faster than those required for Online & Frontier but can use the older i5 processors instead of the newer i7 & i9 processors. Still the processor speeds appear to be a touch faster for the system minimum (2.8 GHz) and a little slower at the recommended level (3.6 GHz). Still, only about 32% of Steam users have the required hardware to run Vanguard at minimum specs while the recommended processors are the same as EVE Online's.

Another difference is the required amount of RAM for the minimum requirements. Don't try running Vanguard with anything less than 16 GB. While 84.9% of Steam users already have 16 GB of RAM installed a small proportion of EVE players trying to play Vanguard may wind up with an unpleasant surprise.

And finally, as one might expect from an FPS game, the video card required to play Vanguard is much more powerful. The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT listed on Steam, for example, has 16 GB of VRAM while the NVIDIA RTX 3080 comes with 10 GM & 12 GB variants. Overall, probably only 30% of Steam users own the recommended hardware to run Vanguard but nearly 2/3 can run the game on the minimum specifications.

I didn't realize until writing this post about just how much more powerful a computer needs to be to run EVE, whether Frontier or Online, compared to a FPS game like Vanguard. How much does will that cut down on adoption of Vanguard by EVE players. After all, buying a Playstation 5 is only $500 or so. Purchasing a computer just to run Vanguard seems like a bigger ask.

My Trip To EVE Fanfest 2025: Paid For By Me

I know that I write a bit about finances of game companies, but when I created The Nosy Gamer 16 years ago I never thought things would get as crazy as they are getting now. Crazy, as from a personal perspective. The issue is attending EVE Fanfest 2025 in two weeks. I looked at the schedule and I plan to attend a lot, if not most, of the EVE Frontier presentations.

EVE Frontier, for those new to the project, plans on using Web3 technology. Forget all the libertarian talking points and theory about the subject. When most regular people find out that the blockchain and cryptocurrencies are involved, they tend to think of people like this guy.

FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried - Photograph: Faith Aktag/Getty Images

Sam Bankman-Fried, often referred to as SBF, is an American entrepreneur who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the trading firm Alameda Research. At his peak, he was considered a major figure in the crypto industry, even ranking among the richest Americans. However, his empire collapsed in November 2022 when FTX filed for bankruptcy amid allegations of fraud.

In December 2022, Bankman-Fried was arrested and later convicted on multiple charges, including wire fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and money laundering. In March 2024, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $11 billion. His downfall has been compared to some of the biggest financial scandals in history.

The circle of legal action concerning Bankman-Fried didn't just engulf his confederates. Several high-profile celebrities have been sued in connection with Sam Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX. The lawsuits allege that these celebrities promoted FTX and misled investors. Some of the notable names include:

• Tom Brady (NFL quarterback)
• Gisele Bündchen (supermodel)
• Larry David (comedian and actor)
• Stephen Curry (NBA player)
• Shaquille O’Neal (NBA legend)
• Kevin O’Leary (businessman and TV personality)
• Naomi Osaka (tennis star)
• Trevor Lawrence (NFL quarterback)
• Shohei Ohtani (MLB player)
• David Ortiz (MLB legend)
• Udonis Haslem (NBA player)
• Golden State Warriors (NBA team)

The only person not fooled by Bankman-Fried, or at least lured by the millions SBF threw around, was Taylor Swift. So the record that crypto-bros will pay people to say nice things about a project to fool the public is pretty much a given at this point.

One of the goals of my trip is to act more like Taylor Swift and less like Tom Brady where EVE Frontier is concerned. Attending all the presentations about the project to try to give myself a good base about the game is a good start. Right now I don't even possess a level of knowledge where I can ask intelligent questions about the game. That I am in the process of changing.

The other point is actually more relevant to the trip. If I come out and write nice things about Frontier, I don't want people to say I am bought and paid for by CCP Games to have the opinion. Well, I know that may happen anyway. After all, crypto-bros don't care about how much they have to pay for good reviews, right? But I want to make any such accusation as hard to stick as possible. Which means my trip to Iceland this year is a little more expensive than it otherwise might be.

For some reason I'm considered some sort of gaming journalist, at least by someone over at CCP Games. Possibly because I was on a list when I got a press pass working with Matterall and Talking In Stations at Fanfest back in 2018 and my name probably wasn't taken off. Out of date lists for the win!

I don't know how many people realize, but most game companies will pay for games journalists to attend events and CCP is no exception. But that caused a problem, because now that CCP Games is one of those evil corporations run by cryptobros, taking advantage of the practice would probably discredit any good things I might find.

I made the most of the situation. Instead of flying economy class for a 4-day trip, I'm flying out Saga Class for a 6-day trip. Back before the pandemic CCP had a deal with Center Hotel Plaza and their guests would stay there. Now with the move of CCP's offices out near the airport the company may be using, the trip to the venue might really be long and inconvenient. Instead, I am staying at Center Hotel Arnarhvoll. Right across the street from Harpa, the venue hosting the convention.

Along with a couple of other perks the media gets I'm abstaining from I think I'm inoculating myself from charges of being bought and paid for. However, if I do somehow wander into the press area and grab a blueberry muffin or bag of chips I'll make sure to record it as part of my experience. Although I'm pretty sure the price to purchase my integrity is a lot higher than that.

My EVE Fanfest 2025 Schedule

Things have definitely changed with EVE Fanfest. Gone are the days I was lucky to get a schedule of events a day in advance of the start of the convention. Today CCP released the on-site schedule so I once again get the opportunity to pick out my own schedule of what to view. Oh, all times are EVE/UTC. Funny how those times line up.

Thursday, 1 May

On Thursday, I have a tough choice of going out to breakfast and writing my traditional post about CIG's financial performance for April or going to see Rahne give the convention's first presentation, "Weaponizing EVE for Good!" From 10:00 to 10:45 she'll give a talk about some of the initiatives in which players help people. While I might go just to find out if Paragon SKINs provide the same combat benefits as store-bought SKINs, those new to New Eden might want to find out not everyone in EVE is a cold, cruel bastard.

I might attend the player-presented session at 11:00, "Third-party Tools, ESI, and You!". But then again I 

The first must attend session, "Upgrading CARBON to Python 3", occurs at noon. Given by CCP Apona, I as much want to find out when Tranquility will receive the upgraded CARBON engine currently powering EVE Frontier.

I then get a few hours to write until 16:00 and the "Black Holes" presentation. I know, the EVE Frontier Hackathon Results Presentation is occurring from 13:00 - 15:00. But that is on a live stream and I think I'll have time to watch later. But given the prominence of black holes in the formation of the EVE Frontier universe, I need to find out what is in the presentation.

Friday, 2 May

Now, all the presentations on the main stage of Harpa are currently scheduled to be streamed. That leaves me available to attend the EVE Frontier presentations.

10:00 - 10:45 - Eldborg - The Welcome Ceremony is first up. Since I am staying across the street from Harpa, I don't have much of an excuse to miss the opening ceremonies.

11:00 - 11:45 - Silfurberg - Frontier Economics: A Small Open Economy Perspective. Presented by CCP Kalihra, the talk is an overview of the Frontier team's learnings so far and the road ahead. "As we open the Frontier Economy we will open the door to new opportunities and face new challenges. We will discuss what theory can tell us about what to expect." I'm pretty sure the word "economy" doesn't exactly mean what gamers expect.

12:00 - 12:45 - Silfurberg - EVE NET - Presented by CCP Raudur & CCP Sondheim, the session will explain what is EVE NET and how it powers on-chain interactions, smart items, and player driven systems in EVE Frontier.

13:00 - 13:45 - Silfurberg - Carbon – Opening the Future: Our Journey to Open Source. I guess the title says everything about the presentation as the description only lists CCP Tuxford's name. I guess we're safe as long as no big red buttons are present.

14:00 - 14:45 - Silfurberg - Physics of the Frontier. CCP Wizard is presenting an overview of the physics engine used in EVE Frontier and how the engine differs from the one in EVE Online. Of all the Frontier presentations this is the one I hope winds up on YouTube. I have the feeling the notes I take won't be comprehensive.

15:00 - 15:45 - Break - Yes, I'm going to try to grab a bite to eat before the EVE Keynote.

16:00 - 17:00 - EVE Keynote - Eldborg - Presented by an ensamble cast (CCP Okami, CCP Burger, CCP Hellmar, CCP Orca, CCP Rattati, and CCP Collins), the EVE Keynote is always a must attend event. 

The past, present and future of New Eden. Join CCP Games developers live from EVE Fanfest for the latest on EVE Online - including an exclusive first look at this summer's expansion - plus exciting updates on EVE Vanguard, EVE Frontier, and EVE Galaxy Conquest.

Saturday, 3 May

I'm going to leave myself time to write and eat breakfast on Saturday morning and begin my convention day with the EVE Frontier Keynote.

11:30 - 12:15 - Norðurljós - EVE Frontier Keynote. Presented by CCP Goodfella, CCP Overload, and CCP Jotunn. The session is advertised as:

Get your first look at EVE Frontier, a new experience in the EVE universe. In this keynote-style presentation, the team will lift the curtain on the game's setting, core ideas, and the vision behind the project.

12:30 - 13:45 - Eldborg - EVE Summer Expansion Keynote. Presented by CCP Okami, CCP Mercury, CCP Nomad, CCP Tiger Shark, and CCP K1P1, the description of the session reads [REDACTED]. This is probably the biggest session next to the EVE Keynote.

14:00 - 19:45 - Break - I know CCP is holding two sessions for attendees to ask questions about the summer expansion, but those sessions usually are painful to attend. If I go back to my hotel room to write I can watch them there. Plus, dinner and probably a nap are in order before the final event.

20:00 - 01:00 - Party at the Top of the World - I'll be at the party for an hour or two as I always want to see the company's employee band. 

A pretty jam-packed time. Honestly a lot better schedule than the last 2 or 3 Fanfests I attended. Perhaps the big change is wanting to attend as many EVE Frontier sessions as I can. Now all I need to do is get to Reykjavik without getting lost. As this is my 8th Fanfest, I should manage.