EVE Online received an update on June 28, with which the developers aim to make the 19-year-old MMORPG look more modern. They improved the graphics, textures, and sound.
The update “EVE Evolved” is a big step towards “EVE Forever,” say the developers CCP. This means they continuously improve EVE Online to keep up with current MMOs. The gameplay only changes slightly with the update. Visually, however, a lot changes.
Graphically, CCP has revamped the fog and the career agent areas. The quality of the textures has also been improved, and compressed textures have been removed. Your spaceships now look much better.
The sound quality also received an upgrade, so EVE Online now sounds better than before.
What kind of game is this anyway? EVE Online has existed since 2003 and is now one of the oldest MMORPGs still being played. It is a free space MMO where you travel through space. The game offers PvE, PvP, exploration, mining, and a player-controlled economy.
Developers want to attract new players
The graphic update is supposed to motivate new players to try EVE Online. “New players who engage with career agents can look forward to it,” say CCP. They have revamped the areas of the career agent missions to provide visually more for beginners.
The dialog window also looks more modern now to make it easier for new players to use.
In the EVE Online real-money shop, new players can also buy packages to level up faster. You get Omega, skill points, boosters, skins, and more – depending on which package you buy.
How the community reacts
In the community hub on Steam, many players comment that they are less excited about the update. Instead, they are angry that the prices in the real-money store have risen and that EVE Online generally focuses on pay-to-win.
Under the post regarding the graphic update, the developers received rather negative feedback:
- Sgt Rakov: “They are desperately trying to attract new players instead of motivating the veterans to stay.”
- Antimate: “None of this justifies a 33 percent price increase.”
- Z: “I would take N64 graphics if it meant improved gameplay.”
Whether the game will attract new players with the update is still uncertain and will show in the coming days. According to SteamDB, 4315 people played EVE Online during the 24h peak.
In any case, the veterans do not seem thrilled and would prefer lower prices instead of better graphics. CCP has gradually increased the price of the premium membership over time, so while EVE Online is free, it is more expensive in subscription than FFXIV and WoW.
What do you think of the update? Was it worth it for CCP to enhance the graphics? Have you played EVE Online before, are currently playing, or would you like to try it out? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!
