CCP Games has revealed additional information about Project Awakening, a new “survival experience” set in the Eve Online universe. Scheduled for a closed playtest starting on May 21, 2024, the game distinguishes itself by being a single-shard environment, where all players coexist in one shared world rather than being divided across servers. Described as a venture grounded in the concepts of freedom, consequence, and mastery within a dynamic universe, Project Awakening signifies CCP Games’ endeavor to craft virtual realms more significant than reality itself.
The narrative unfolds in a space sector plagued by the collapse of civilization, tasking players with the dual mission of exploration and reconstruction in a desolate landscape. Notably, the project integrates blockchain and cryptography elements, underscoring a strategic move by developers to ensure the enduring legacy of the EVE universe beyond CCP’s lifespan. To delve deeper into these developments, our Jeremy Peel conducted an insightful interview with CCP last October.
Enthusiasts can sign up for the closed playtest of Project Awakening, offering participants the opportunity to interact with programmable game systems and create unique features within the game world. Additionally, CCP is organizing an “online hackathon” for builders involved in Project Awakening, with the victors earning a chance to visit CCP’s headquarters in Iceland. The specifics of the creations that participants will be developing remain shrouded in mystery.
Operating on CCP’s proprietary Carbon Development Platform and MUD by Lattice, Project Awakening aligns with the blockchain technology utilized by Op Craft and Primordium, among other titles. In a parallel move, CCP Games has announced the forthcoming open-sourcing of their Carbon Development Platform, granting programmers and game developers unrestricted access to the framework and supplementary components at no cost.
While detailed gameplay mechanics for Project Awakening are sparse, the familiar term “survival experience” provides a grounding point amidst the visionary rhetoric of a “persistent world governed by digital physics,” where players can construct and collaborate within and beyond the evolving game environment. A recent addition to the Project Awakening website, a lore document, alludes to celestial melodies and extinguished stars, painting a vivid picture of a civilization’s remnants waiting to be unraveled.
In a candid conversation with Jeremy, CCP’s CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson defended the game’s blockchain features, emphasizing the potential for misuse inherent in any innovative technology. Drawing parallels to historical events like the tulip mania in 17th-century Holland, Pétursson underscored the responsibility lying with individuals rather than the tools themselves. His stance reflects a pragmatic acknowledgment of the dual nature of technological advancements and the imperative to navigate their implications judiciously.
For those intrigued by the prospects presented by Project Awakening, the journey into this enigmatic world promises a blend of innovation, exploration, and collaborative creation, underpinned by the ethos of forging a digital realm that transcends conventional gaming paradigms.