EVE Online’s huge narrative-driven Equinox expansion hits live servers

Few games are as grand in scope and ambitious as EVE Online, but the arrival of the Equinox expansion has just seen it get a little bigger. With everything from an entirely new narrative experience to epic customization options, it’s a brilliant time to jump into the game’s world.

Though EVE Online regularly receives updates, expansions are considerably more epic in scale. This time around, the focus is firmly on Nullsec, the game’s more lawless and uncontrolled region of space. The headline addition is Upwell Structures, which allow players to hunt for resources on planets in the region.

Star systems have also undergone a significant revamp, with a new priority placed on how planets function within individual systems. In addition, planets now provide new resources that are a necessity in getting the new Upwell Structures to function.

As part of these wider changes, EVE’s developers have added several “defense-capable cargo ships.” The Squall, Deluge, Torrent, and Avalanche are now all available, ranging in size from Tech II Blockade Runners to huge Freighters.

Perhaps the addition with the most implications, the SKINR tool is now available in-game. For the first time in the game’s entire history, players are now able to design their own ship skins. While this might sound like a relatively superficial change, the depth of the system is potentially remarkable.

Dedicated artists will soon be able to trade their designs with other players for either Plex or ISK. This opens up entirely new career pursuits, either as a creator of skins or someone who trades them with the wider community. The potential effects on the player-driven economy are wide-reaching, and we should soon see what effect this has.

The expansion also includes further updates to EVE’s fledgling FPS spinoff Vanguard, with plenty more to come for that game as well.