Eve Online is a space-themed, ongoing-world massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) created and published by CCP Games. Players can take part in various in-game jobs and activities, such as mining, piracy, manufacturing, trading, exploration, and combat (both against computer-controlled environments and other players). The game includes 7,800 star systems that players can explore.

The game is known for its large size and the complexity of how players interact. In its single, shared world, players compete economically, fight in wars, and form political alliances with other players. One famous event, the Bloodbath of B-R5RB, involved thousands of players fighting in one star system for 21 hours. This battle is considered one of the biggest and most expensive in gaming history. Eve Online was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art with a video showing important events and achievements from the game’s player community.

Eve Online was first released in North America and Europe in May 2003. From May to December 2003, it was published in North America by Simon & Schuster Interactive and in the United Kingdom by Crucial Entertainment. After that, CCP Games bought the rights and started publishing the game digitally. On January 22, 2008, it was announced that Eve Online would be sold through Steam. On March 10, 2009, the game was released in physical stores by Atari. In February 2013, Eve Online had more than 500,000 subscribers. On November 11, 2016, a limited free-to-play version of the game was added.

Background

More than 21,000 years in the future, the story of Eve Online explains that humans used most of Earth’s resources because of growing populations. This led to humans exploring other parts of the Milky Way galaxy. As on Earth, competition for resources caused conflicts. Everything changed when a natural wormhole was discovered, leading to a galaxy called "New Eden." Many colonies were built, and a structure called a gate (marked with the word "EVE" on the New Eden side) was created to keep the wormhole stable, connecting New Eden to the rest of human civilization. However, the wormhole collapsed, destroying the gate and cutting off New Eden from Earth and the Milky Way. Without supplies or communication, the colonies of New Eden faced starvation and isolation. Many colonies disappeared over time. Survivors rebuilt their societies, but memories of Earth, the Milky Way, and the history of New Eden were lost or became myths. Five major societies eventually formed, each becoming an empire in Eve Online: the Amarr Empire, the Caldari State, the Gallente Federation, the Minmatar Republic, and the Jove Empire.

The Amarr, a religious empire, were the first to rediscover faster-than-light travel. Their society is closest to the destroyed "EVE" gate. Using this technology and their strong faith, the Amarr conquered and enslaved other groups, including the Minmatar, who were just beginning to colonize other planets. Later, after conflicts with the Gallente Federation and a failed attack on Jovian space, the Minmatar rebelled and formed their own government. Many Minmatar remain enslaved by the Amarr, while others who supported the Amarr during the rebellion were freed and became part of the Ammatar Mandate. The Minmatar Republic, inspired by the Gallente Federation, is now a strong military and economic power that seeks to free enslaved people.

The Gallente and Caldari homeworlds are in the same star system. The Gallente homeworld was settled by descendants of French colonists from Tau Ceti. Caldari Prime was bought by a large company that began changing the planet’s environment to make it livable. This process was not finished when the wormhole collapsed, so the planet remained uninhabitable for thousands of years. The Gallente rebuilt their society and created the first democratic government in New Eden, the Gallente Federation, about 100 years before the Caldari. Originally part of the Federation, the Caldari later separated due to cultural conflicts, leading to a 93-year war. During the war, the Gallente controlled Caldari Prime, but the Caldari later recaptured it. The Gallente viewed this as a violation and launched an attack to retake the planet, destroying the Caldari’s largest ship, the Shiigeru. Now, the planet is divided between Caldari and Gallente control.

Both the Gallente Federation and Caldari State focus on trade and economy. The Gallente support free markets, individual business, and social programs. The Caldari, however, are controlled by large companies that own the state. The Gallente welcome immigrants, including many Minmatar, while the Caldari, due to a smaller population, used artificial reproduction to create a generation of children raised by the state to increase their workforce.

The Jovians (a race not playable by users) also descended from Earth’s colonists. Unlike other races, they kept their advanced technology after the wormhole collapsed and did not need to rebuild society from scratch. They expanded into space and used genetic engineering to adapt to deep-space life. However, their genetic changes led to a deadly disease called "Jovian Disease," which has caused their population to shrink. Now, the Jovians live in a remote area of space, isolated from others.

Each race has unique ship designs. Minmatar ships are fast but weak, using speed and missile weapons to attack. Amarr ships are heavy and strong, using powerful lasers and energy weapons to drain enemy power. Gallente ships are fast and use armor to protect themselves, focusing on large fleets.

Gameplay

Players begin the game by choosing an existing character or creating a new one. Each Eve Online account can have up to three characters. When making a new character, players pick one of four races: Amarr, Gallente, Minmatar, or Caldari. Each race has three bloodlines that give characters set appearances, which players can adjust further.

Unlike many other online games that have separate copies of the game world (called servers), Eve Online has one shared universe. There are four main copies of the universe: the main server "Tranquility," the Chinese server "Serenity," the test server "Singularity," and the event server "Thunderdome." A new test server called "Buckingham" was created to replace "Singularity" as the main test server. However, "Singularity" is now the main test server again, and "Buckingham" is used for closed testing by the game developers.

The game takes place in over 5,000 star systems and 2,500 wormhole systems, set in the year 23,341. Each system has a Security Status score from −1.0 to 1.0. Systems with scores between 0.5 and 1.0 are "high security," meaning law enforcement (called CONCORD) will attack anyone who attacks another player. Systems with scores between 0.1 and 0.4 are "low security," where CONCORD does not attack aggressors but uses sentry guns to warn them. Systems with scores from 0.0 to −1.0 are "zero space" or "null sec," where no law enforcement exists, and player groups or alliances may control areas. Wormhole systems are lawless and cannot be claimed by player groups.

Star systems contain objects like asteroids, planets, stations, and moons. Many of the game’s most profitable activities happen in dangerous areas, where players risk being attacked by others.

The main way to play is by flying spaceships. Players can dock at stations for safety and use services like repairs or trading. Space battles happen in real time, with ships moving at speeds from 100 m/s to over 8,000 m/s. Most players use their ship’s computer to control movement, while weapon aiming is automatic.

To travel long distances, players use a "Warp Drive," which allows ships to move quickly. Alternatively, players can travel slowly without using warp. To warp, a ship must align with a target more than 150 km away. Warp speed depends on the ship’s type and equipment. Some weapons can disable a ship’s warp drive, making it harder to escape.

Most ships travel between systems using "Stargates," which connect to other systems. Capital ships can also use "Jump Drives" to move instantly, but this requires another ship to create a "Cynosural Field." Jump Drives use fuel, drain a ship’s energy, and cause "jump fatigue," which limits how often a ship can jump. Some ships, like Titans, can create temporary bridges for others to travel.

Player groups that control two systems can build "jump bridges" at their own bases, allowing instant travel between systems. These bridges use fuel and cause jump fatigue. New structures now replace older systems, allowing more control over who can use them.

In Eve Online, players improve their characters by training skills over time. Skill training happens automatically even when players are not logged in. Up to 50 skills can be scheduled, with a total training time of up to 10 years. Some skills require other skills to be trained first, and some take longer to learn than others.

Ships

In the game Eve Online, spaceships are grouped into classes, ranging from small frigates (a few dozen meters long) to massive capital ships that can be up to 17 kilometers long. Each ship has a specific role and differs in size, speed, strength, and weapons. Smaller ships are faster and can disable enemies but cannot destroy larger ships. Capital ships deal heavy damage but struggle to hit fast, small targets. Each of the four races in the game has unique ship designs and strengths, but all races have ships that perform similar roles and are balanced for fair play. This means no single ship is the best in all situations. Players choose ships based on their preferred style, such as a ship with large storage, one suited for mining, one with strong weapons, or one that moves quickly. However, the game’s changing environment ensures no ship is perfect for all tasks, and the best ship for a job today may not be the best tomorrow.

Unlike many online games, Eve Online does not give characters of different races automatic advantages for flying their race’s ships. While players start with more advanced skills for their race’s ships, players of other races can train to achieve the same proficiency. This encourages players to choose ships that match their playstyle, and the game does not favor one race over another. However, ships from different races have unique bonuses for specific tasks.

Ships in Eve Online are divided into four size classes:

• Small ships include:
• Frigates: Small, fast ships used for quick attacks and distractions.
• Destroyers: Slightly larger than frigates, with stronger offensive capabilities.

• Medium ships include:
• Cruisers: Versatile ships that can perform many roles.
• Battlecruisers: Heavier cruisers focused on combat.

• Large ships include:
• Battleships: Strong, heavily armed ships designed for combat.

• Capital ships include:
• Carriers: Ships that can launch fighters to attack from far away.
• Dreadnoughts: Ships that attack structures and other capital ships.
• Force Auxiliary Ships: Ships that repair other ships.
• Supercarriers: Larger carriers that focus on damaging other capital ships and disrupting enemy fleets.
• Titans: Extremely large ships that can carry powerful weapons called doomsday devices, which cause massive damage to other capital ships.

Each ship has unique features and can be equipped with different modules, depending on its design. Ships have characteristics such as power grid, CPU, capacitor size, shields, armor, speed, agility, and the number of targets they can lock onto. A ship’s performance also depends on the pilot’s skill levels, which provide bonuses that match the ship’s intended role. For example, the Caldari "Caracal" cruiser has a bonus to missile launcher fire rates, while the Gallente "Vexor" cruiser has a bonus to drone damage and health.

A key feature of ships is the number of slots available for modules. Modules are divided into three types:

• High-power slots: Used for weapons (turrets, missile launchers), cloaking devices, and tools for mining or salvaging.
• Mid-power slots: Used for modules that improve shields, speed, repair damage, or engage in electronic warfare to slow or stop enemy ships.
• Low-power slots: Used for armor repair, increased cargo space, and improvements to speed, agility, or power systems.

Larger ships have more and different ratios of module slots.

Ships can also have 2 to 3 rig slots, which are special modules that do not require power grid or CPU but instead use a resource called calibration. Rigs are permanently installed and cannot be removed without destroying them. Rigs come in sizes (small, medium, large, and capital) that match the ship’s size and can improve features like speed or cargo space. However, most rigs also reduce another feature, such as reducing a ship’s maximum speed when using an armor rig.

All ships are also classified by tech level, from Tech I to Tech III:

• Tech I (T1) ships: Basic, easy-to-manufacture ships that perform simple tasks. Faction ships (which are expensive and highly specialized) are also T1.
• Tech II (T2) ships: Based on T1 designs but modified for specific roles using advanced technology. T2 ships are harder to build, produced only by certain corporations, and require higher skill levels to fly.
• Tech III (T3) ships: Introduced in the Apocrypha update, these advanced ships are made from materials found beyond wormholes. They are rare, expensive, and require unique skills to build. T3 ships are modular, meaning players start with a base hull and add four subsystems to customize the ship’s abilities, such as changing weapon types or adding cloaking features. Later updates added T3 tactical destroyers that can switch between offensive, defensive, or speed-focused modes during combat.

Players and communities

In the game Eve Online, players can choose from many ways to interact. While all activities can be done alone, larger and more complex tasks are easier for groups, such as pirate clans or corporations.

Players can join corporations, which are similar to guilds or clans in other games. Corporations are led by a chief executive officer (CEO), who manages the corporation’s resources. The CEO assigns roles, such as director, accountant, or personnel manager. Corporations may also join together to form alliances. These groups vary in size and purpose. Some create press releases or send out information about in-game business opportunities to investors. Alliances can control many star systems, and their territory can be shown on the game map. Alliances in lawless areas may form unofficial political groups called "coalitions." These coalitions are similar to Japanese business groups, where companies work together for support.

Corporations operate in many ways, such as mining, manufacturing, or "ratting" (hunting non-player characters for rewards). Corporations can collect taxes from members, taking a percentage of their earnings. Many corporations offer benefits, like free or discounted ships, training, or organized missions.

Corporations can also organize piracy. Piracy includes breaking in-game rules, such as waiting at stargates for players, attacking in asteroid belts, or targeting players on missions. These actions are illegal in the game, so pirates often have low security status and may be labeled as outlaws. Victims of piracy may attack pirates directly without help from CONCORD, the in-game police. However, piracy is not against the game’s rules, so only in-game consequences apply.

Attacking another player in secure space illegally lowers a player’s security status. CONCORD, the in-game police, will then destroy the attacker’s ship. However, corporations or alliances can legally declare war on each other for a weekly fee. This allows members to attack without losing security status or facing CONCORD. If both sides declare war, the fee is removed. War declarations clearly mark enemies, helping players know who can attack legally.

In 2006, Eve Online partnered with Optic Communications to bring the game to China. A small group of 3,000 players tested the game, and a larger open beta began in June 2006. To avoid overloading the main server, a new server called Serenity was created for China. In 2011, the partnership with Optic ended, and a new one with TianCity started in 2012.

The Serenity and Tranquility servers (for China and the rest of the world) share the same game code, but the worlds are not connected. Eve Online supports Unicode and has systems to translate all game content and interfaces.

In 2006, the average Eve Online player was 27 years old, and 95% were male. Players spent about 17 hours per week, or 2.5 hours daily. By 2009, the game had over 300,000 active subscriptions. By 2010, this number reached 357,000.

In 2011, Eve Online partnered with Nexon to launch a Japanese version of the game. Players in Japan could access the game in their language through the Tranquility server.

On May 5, 2013, Eve Online set a record for the most players online at once: 65,303. This happened during the game’s 10th anniversary and was higher than the previous record of 63,170. The highest player numbers usually occur on Sundays.

In 2006, Eve TV streamed the 2nd Caldari Alliance Tournament, where teams of three players from top alliances competed. The tournament included live battles, expert commentary, and interviews. The Band of Brothers alliance won.

The 3rd Alliance Tournament in December 2006 had 40 alliances competing with teams of five players. Band of Brothers won again. A notable event was when the Interstellar Alcohol Conglomerate’s ship was destroyed in the semi-finals.

The 4th Alliance Tournament in 2007 saw upsets, with Star Fraction defeating Band of Brothers using basic ships. Hun Reloaded won the tournament.

The 5th Alliance Tournament in 2008 had 40 teams compete over six days. HUN Reloaded reached the quarter-finals before losing to Ev0ke, which later won the tournament.

The 6th Alliance Tournament in 2009 had 64 teams. The final weekend was streamed live, while earlier rounds were broadcast through radio channels. Changes were made to the tournament format.

Development

Eve Online was inspired by the classic computer game Elite, which itself was based on ideas from the science-fiction role-playing game Traveller. Eve combined elements from Elite with features like multiplayer chat and player-versus-player gameplay from Ultima Online. Elite had four single-player activities: missions, mining, trade routes, and combat with random hostile NPCs, all of which were included in the early versions of Eve Online.

David Braben, one of the original developers of Elite, believes Eve Online is a recreation of the 1980s game, not its direct successor. Some developers also think the game allows players to experience a world where they can become characters they imagine.

Both the server and client software for Eve Online are built using Stackless Python, a version of the Python programming language. Stackless Python allows many players to perform tasks without the usual overhead of standard Python, helping developers make changes to the game without restarting the server. However, the game's servers are taken offline daily for maintenance.

On March 14, 2006, the Eve Online team announced plans to upgrade the game's graphics engine to support DirectX 10 and Windows Vista. A patch note from Revelations 1.4 stated that the current client should work on Vista as well as on XP.

On September 10, 2007, CCP Games announced the new Trinity 2 graphics engine, which used DirectX 9.0. This engine was released on December 5, 2007.

Official support for Linux and Mac platforms was added in 2007 using software called Cedega and Cider, which are versions of Wine. At Fanfest 2008, Transgaming showed that the Premium graphics client could run on Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. In 2009, CCP said they would stop supporting the Linux client, advising users to use Wine instead. This change happened because the Windows client worked better with Wine than the official Linux version.

On December 4, 2020, CCP Games announced a native Mac client for macOS Big Sur using the Metal graphics framework. The first version for Intel-based Macs was planned for early 2021, with a later release for M1-based Macs.

Third-party tools help players with Eve Online. Some tools, like those that claim contracts without costs, can lead to bans if found. Others are approved by CCP. For example, EVEMon is a tool that tracks skill training times, and Eve Fitting Tool (EFT) helps players test ship setups.

Mobile apps for Android and iPhone also monitor character information and skill training.

In 2005, CCP launched the Eve API Project, allowing third-party tools like EVEMon to access game data through an application programming interface (API).

Since its release, CCP has added 21 free expansions to Eve Online. The 20th expansion, "Rubicon" (2013), introduced new faction ships and mobile structures. The 19th, "Odyssey" (2013), focused on exploration and battleship balance. The 18th, "Retribution," updated the Crimewatch system and rebalanced ship classes. The 17th, "Inferno," improved missile graphics and added a new inventory system. The 16th, "Crucible" (2011), focused on game mechanics rather than visuals. The 15th, "Incarna" (2011), allowed players to explore stations as avatars. The 14th, "Incursion," included Sansha Incursions and updated character creation tools.

The 11th expansion, "Apocrypha" (2009), improved graphics and added wormholes. The 12th, "Dominion" (2009), changed the sovereignty system and added a web browser. The 13th, "Tyrannis" (2010), introduced planetary resource use and a social network called EVE Gate.

Over time, expansions added features like space stations, capital ships, and Epic Arcs. "Apocrypha" included wormholes, customizable ships, and smarter AI. "Dominion" updated the sovereignty system and added a web browser. "Tyrannis" allowed planetary resource use and introduced EVE Gate.

In 2014, CCP changed its release cycle from two expansions per year to ten updates per year. In 2015, they returned to a hybrid system, combining frequent updates with occasional large expansions. The first new expansion introduced a modular starbase called a Citadel and updated capital-class ships.

Music

The Eve Online soundtrack was created by Jón Hallur Haraldsson, also called Real-X. An Icelandic rap-rock group named Quarashi also helped create some music for the game. A digital soundtrack called EVE Online: Original Soundtrack, Vol. 1 was released on iTunes on August 12, 2009. This soundtrack includes an audio book track titled EVE Chronicle – Taught Thoughts. The soundtrack was later removed from iTunes.

The game includes a large in-game soundtrack. On December 4, 2012, the "Retribution" expansion of Eve Online was released. One of its features was the removal of the Jukebox, which allowed players to choose their favorite songs to play. At the same time, CCP Games said the entire game soundtrack (which included all the music in the game at that time) could be downloaded for free from SoundCloud. The soundtrack includes 74 songs and has a total playing time of nearly seven hours.

Public perception

Piracy, along with fraud, theft, and ransom, is part of the game Eve Online. Players often find creative ways to trick or attack each other, which has led to discussions in the gaming community. One well-known event involved a corporation that secretly took over another corporation over nearly a year. They then attacked the target’s CEO in the game and stole valuable items worth billions of ISK (about US$16,500). The target lost a lot of money and reputation, and the CEO’s ship and equipment were destroyed. These events are discussed both within the game and in the media.

In 2009, a player group called Goonswarm was contacted by a director from a rival group, Band of Brothers. The director left Band of Brothers and took a large amount of their resources, including ships, money, and territory, before ending the group.

A player-run bank called EBank also faced controversy in 2009 when its CEO, Ricdic, withdrew 200 billion ISK (about A$6,100 or US$4,590) and used the money to pay for a home and medical bills.

These risks are a normal part of Eve Online’s economy, and the game developers do not address them directly. Players are expected to make financial choices while considering the possibility of others acting dishonestly with money, similar to real-life economics.

Common pirate activities in Eve Online include "ganking" (attacking other players), "gate camping" (waiting at space gates to attack travelers), and small group battles. Each pirate group has its own strategies. Some use cheap, high-damage ships to quickly destroy players in safe areas before law enforcement arrives, hoping to recover their costs by stealing valuable items. Others set up groups to ambush travelers at space gates, while others use fast ships to attack players suddenly. After defeating someone, pirates may demand money in exchange for letting the victim escape.

Ganking has become less popular since a game update called Crucible, as players no longer get money back if their ships are destroyed by law enforcement. This change caused debates among players about whether they should be truly safe in the game.

Some developers have faced controversy. In 2007, a player named Kugutsumen discovered that a developer, t20, had given his group, Reikoku, valuable items to help them compete unfairly. Players called for t20 to leave the game, but he remained until 2008. Kugutsumen was banned for revealing the developer’s real name.

To address concerns, the game company, CCP, created an internal team to monitor the actions of its employees in the game.

In response to player feedback, CCP invited players to form the first Council of Stellar Management (CSM) in 2008. Sixty-six players ran for nine positions, and the first CSM had seven men and two women from different countries. The CSM’s role has changed over time, now focusing on helping players request improvements to the game. Each CSM member can make three requests to CCP during their term, which must be answered in person or by email. Rules for the CSM have changed over time, including longer terms and more voting options.

The first CSM met with CCP in Iceland in 2008, where players and developers discussed game ideas. Some suggestions were accepted, while others were rejected for technical reasons.

The second CSM election began in 2008, and later elections added rules, such as requiring candidates to be at least 21 years old. Starting with the eighth CSM, players could vote for up to 14 candidates.

Accounts and subscriptions

Players begin playing Eve Online by creating a free account called an Alpha account, being invited through the Recruit-A-Friend program, or purchasing the Eve Online Special Edition retail box. Alpha accounts can be created for free on the Eve Online website or through the Steam platform. Accounts from the Recruit-A-Friend program work the same as normal Alpha accounts but start with extra unassigned skill points (about 5–6 days of training time) on the first character. If a recruited account later becomes an Omega account (a paid subscription), the person who invited them receives 30 free days of subscription time or the same amount in PLEX.

Alpha accounts are free and let players access most parts of the game, except for some advanced features. Players with Alpha accounts cannot train skills for certain advanced ships or modules, such as all Tech 2 ships and most Tech 2 modules. They can only train up to 5 million skill points using the normal training system. After reaching that limit, they can gain more skill points by converting to an Omega account, using skill point injectors (available in the game), or earning skill points through programs like the AIR Career Program or the Daily Skilling Spree. In December 2017, a new item called the Daily Alpha Injector was added. It can be bought with PLEX, is only usable once per day by Alpha accounts, gives about 24 hours of training time, and costs about one-third the price of a 30-day subscription. This allows Alpha accounts to progress faster than before but in smaller steps. Alpha accounts can only use a specific list of skills and cannot train skills that are not allowed or go beyond the highest level for allowed skills. They have access to about 20.5 million skill points worth of skills.

If an Omega account’s subscription ends, it becomes an Alpha account. The player does not lose any skill points or skills, but skills or levels beyond what Alpha accounts can use become inactive and cannot be used for ship or module requirements. Omega accounts that become Alpha accounts can only use skills on the Alpha list, which might prevent them from flying certain ships they could as an Omega pilot. If they later upgrade back to Omega, they regain access to all their skills.

As of June 2008, Eve Time Codes (ETCs) are sold only in 60-day increments. Before this, they were also sold in 30-, 50-, 90-, 100-, and 120-day increments. Discontinued ETCs remain valid. Players using ETCs are treated the same as normal subscribers. ETCs can be bought through CCP’s online store or resellers. Reseller-purchased ETCs are usually sent via email for immediate use, while those bought through the Eve Online store are sent by mail or as in-game items. Both types of ETCs work the same and can be traded for ISK using a secure system called the Timecode Bazaar.

In November 2008, CCP introduced PLEX, an in-game item that can be used to buy a 30-day subscription. PLEX can be bought with real money on the Eve Online website or with ISK inside the game. A 60-day ETC can be converted into two 30-day PLEX, which can then be sold on the in-game market. PLEX allows players to trade in-game items for real money. At about €15 per PLEX, players can estimate the real-world value of in-game items like ships or implants.

In May 2017, CCP changed PLEX into smaller units. All existing PLEX were converted into 500 of the new PLEX. A 30-day subscription now costs 500 PLEX, the same price as before. The old premium currency, Aurum, was retired and converted to PLEX at a rate of 1 new PLEX for every 7 Aurum, provided the account had at least 1,000 Aurum. Items in the premium store that used to cost Aurum now cost the same number of PLEX. This allowed CCP to offer more detailed deals with PLEX. For example, training multiple characters now costs 450 PLEX, which is 90% of the cost of a 30-day subscription. CCP also introduced the PLEX Vault, a secure way to store PLEX in-game without losing them if a ship is destroyed.

As of March 10, 2009, a boxed version of the game is sold in stores. Atari manages the distribution. The boxed edition includes a 60-day ETC, instant standings updates for faster entry into factional warfare, an exclusive online guide for new players, and an expanded cargo hold shuttle. These bonus items are only available to new accounts created with the 60-day ETC.

Note: As of 2014, CCP no longer shares active subscription numbers with the public.

Reception

Eve Online received mixed reviews when it was first released in 2003, but later received more positive feedback. The original version of the game had a score of 75% on GameRankings and 69/100 on Metacritic. The Special Edition, released in 2009, received a higher score of 88/100 on Metacritic.

In 2004, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated the expansion Eve Online: Second Genesis for "Massively Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year" at the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. For the next three years, the academy also nominated other expansions for "Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year": Revelations in 2007, Trinity in 2008, and Quantum Rise in 2009.

In 2013, PC Gamer ranked Eve Online at #12 on its list of the 100 Greatest Games of All Time.

In June 2013, the Museum of Modern Art added Eve Online to its permanent collection of video games. The game is displayed as a "day in the universe" video. To create this, CCP Games asked players to submit gameplay footage. Additionally, CCP Games provided data from its servers, which were used to show a detailed view of achievements made by players working together.

• PC Gamer Sweden: Best Online RPG 2003
• SuperPlay GULDPIXELN 2003: Online Game of the Year
• 2003 Gamespy: Best Graphics
• 2005 MMORPG.com: Best Graphics, Best PvP, Favorite Company, and Reader’s Choice Best Game
• 2006 MMORPG.com: Favorite Graphics, Favorite PvE, Favorite PvP, Favorite Story, and Favorite Game
• 2007 MMORPG.com: Best Overall Game of 2007
• 2009 MMORPG.com: Game of the Year
• 2010 MMORPG.com: Game of the Year
• 2011 MMORPG.com: Game of the Year

Other media

In 2013, CCP announced agreements to create a comic book and a television series based on Eve Online. The comic, titled Eve: True Stories, was published by Dark Horse Comics and offered for free online in 2014. Later that year, a printed version of the graphic novel with additional material became available. To create the television series, CCP partnered with Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur. As of May 2013, no details about the title or premiere date of the television series have been shared. The stories in both the graphic novel and the television series are based on real events from players in the game. The board game EVE: Conquests was inspired by Eve Online.

• EVE: The Empyrean Age (2009) by Tony Gonzalez
• EVE: The Burning Life (2010) by Hyalti Danielsson
• EVE: Templar One (2012) by Tony Gonzalez