CCP Games, creators of space science fiction MMO EVE Online, today announced that they have secured $40 million in funding from external partners. This funding will allow CCP Games to leverage the findings of its research and development team to enable the large-scale development of a new AAA title using blockchain technologyset in the EVE universe.
“Since its inception, CCP Games’ vision has been to create virtual worlds that have more meaning than real life. Now, thanks to advances in blockchain, we can forge a new universe deeply infused with our agency expertise and player autonomy, allowing players to engage in new ways. This funding marks an exciting milestone in the history of our studio, as we enter our third decade of operations in virtual worlds. We are honored by the trust of our partners in the development of this new title,” said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games.
We are thrilled to announce that we have secured $40 million in funding, led by @a16zto create a new AAA game within the EVE universe using blockchain technology.
Learn more here: https://t.co/IZJlPRcZ0z pic.twitter.com/y9cqZKtt2l
— CCP Games (@CCPGames) March 21, 2023
With key game systems developed on-chain, this new project will also leverage smart contract blockchain technology, focusing on persistence, composability and truly open third-party development to create a new relationship between worlds. virtual and players.
This funding was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from Makers Fund, BITKRAFT, Kingsway Capital, Nexon, Hashed and other participants.
“CCP Games is a pioneer in virtual worlds and digital economies, with 25 years of experience creating living sandboxes of unparalleled depth. They are a team of veterans and we believe in their ambitious vision of delivering incredible gaming experiences at the intersection of the best game design and blockchain technology,” said Jonathan Lai, General Partner at a16z.
“The depth and nuance of EVE has become a frequent reference point in blockchain gaming and so we are thrilled to support the team’s impressive vision to expand the EVE universe using this technology. former employee, it is a great personal joy to reunite with CCP and witness their continued passion for creating truly meaningful virtual worlds,” said Alli Óttarsson, Director of Makers Fund.
“We have long been impressed by the stories of interstellar wars, starships lost forever, and the constant challenges of staying ahead of emerging and sovereign game models. Hilmar and his team’s experience is unparalleled, and we’re excited to see how they’re using blockchain to empower gamers to dream beyond,” said Carlos Pereira, Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures.
In addition to independent funding, the production of this new title is separate from ongoing and previously revealed projects, including EVE Online, which is now in its historic 20th year.
CCP Games looks forward to sharing updates as development progresses.