EVE: Vanguard’s Strategy: Drawing Inspiration from Helldivers 2, World of Warcraft, and Destiny for a Time-Respecting Shooter

During a presentation on EVE: Vanguard, the new MMOFPS being developed at CCP, Scott Davis, the lead product manager at CCP London, made an interesting point. He noted that many shooters rely on “resetting the economy.” While he didn’t specifically mention Call of Duty, anyone familiar with the franchise could pick up on the reference. He’s clearly alluding to the annual development cycles that we’ve come to expect from major triple-A shooters. It’s pretty easy to understand what he’s getting at.

Davis is addressing why some players often feel a bit let down after devoting countless hours to shooters. You invest your time perfecting your build, mastering your favorite weapons, and getting up to speed with the best perks and gun combinations based on guides, only to see it all disappear as soon as the next installment comes out. It’s a rinse-and-repeat cycle: Black Ops morphs into Modern Warfare, and the whole thing starts over again.

But CCP has a different vision. They’re aiming for something more enduring. They plan to take the shared-world shooter model popularized by games like Destiny and Helldivers 2 and inject it with a sense of permanence. Essentially, they want to infuse the MMOFPS genre with the quintessential EVE experience.

“If we can learn from how EVE has sustained a single environment for 21 years,” Davis animatedly explains, “there’s no reason we can’t achieve the same longevity with a shooter. We can craft a shooter that endures, one that truly lasts. We have the chance to redefine what an MMOFPS is—many developers have come close, but I think we’re uniquely positioned to actually pull it off.”

And I have to say, he might be onto something. I spent a few hours in CCP’s London office trying out the latest build of Vanguard, and it shows promise. The shooting is responsive and satisfying, the level design is exceptional, and graphically, it’s on par with PC’s Destiny 2. With over 1000 hours clocked in Destiny games, I’m genuinely interested. Even better, the game is made first and foremost as a shooter, with any EVE-related aspects coming secondary.

Snorri Árnason, the game director of EVE Online, chimed in, curious why an FPS in the first place? “We want people to experience walking on planets and piloting spaceships,” he says. They want to satisfy both the “boots on the ground” fantasy and the “you do the flying, we do the dying” concept. “Even the best triple-A games have impactful moments, but often lack meaning,” he adds.

Davis follows up, “You don’t need to play EVE to understand what Vanguard is all about; it’s an FPS rooted in the universe EVE has established. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?”

The term “EVE-curious” comes up frequently when talking about Vanguard. EVE Online holds the record for the largest PvP match in gaming history, engaging 8000 players. CCP aims to deliver that exhilarating experience to shooter fans who aren’t interested in the intensive logistics of EVE. Davis mentions that they intend Vanguard to be more approachable and friendly.

Progress has been slow, though. A year post-announcement, Vanguard is only up to its second major content release, still in pre-alpha. But a dedicated community has already formed, with development intentionally slow to ensure every aspect is perfectly polished. They’ve even ditched seasonal updates because, frankly, they weren’t effective.

“We’re not wasting time perfecting VFX and graphics if the core gameplay isn’t up to snuff,” Davis laughs. Updates roll out with low-res textures or placeholder art, yet people engage with it and find it fun. For instance, players have started using the mining laser—a tiny beam intended for resource collection—as a tagging tool across the map!

The placeholder art has even gained some fans, with a work-in-progress asset proudly nicknamed the “banana gun.” Engaged players are building the game together with CCP. While the development pace is slow, it plays to Vanguard’s advantage. Much like EVE’s early days, dedicated early adopters see the potential in what CCP is creating.

Davis stresses the importance of listening to players: “You have to check your ego and remember who you’re making the game for. Players don’t always know what they want until they try it and react with ‘oh no, not that’. We’re learning alongside them.”

I can already see the balance CCP aims to strike between MMO and FPS elements in Vanguard. It offers a persistent world more serious than Destiny’s episodic approach and more structured than the wild chaos of Helldivers.

Emerging playstyles show diverse approaches: some players focus on kills, others are completionists, and some just enjoy the social aspects. There’s plenty for solo-focused players too, drawing inspiration from the accessibility found in games like Final Fantasy 14 and World of Warcraft.

Árnason reflected on solo play in World of Warcraft: “I often played solo and enjoyed working within a social framework without fully engaging. Vanguard presents similar options; you can simplify the experience, upgrade weapons, and progress without being burdened with complex EVE elements.”

Davis elaborated on how evolving definitions of ‘MMO’ influence Vanguard’s direction. “We tend to wrongly associate ‘MMO’ with ‘MMORPG’,” he commented. “We’re not cracking that code, but observing how players interact with live games, which is changing.”

The ‘MMO’ label goes beyond scale for CCP, encompassing depth. “Players impact the world in unseen ways,” says Davis. “In Vanguard, I might be completing a contract from another player. They may not care who fulfills it, but both players influence each other’s experiences, whether they know it or not.”

This interconnected dynamic is the magic of an MMO sandbox, according to Davis and Árnason. They aim to keep adding “more sand in the sandbox,” creating a world where progress isn’t erased by resets or seasonal changes. In a market of ‘forever games,’ creating one that genuinely lasts and values player investment is ambitious and admirable.

Let’s wait and see if Vanguard makes use of CCP’s rich arsenal and experience. Just be prepared for a long journey ahead.

For those keen to join the adventure, EVE: Vanguard is available to Founders now. Early Access kicks off in 2025, leading to a full global launch on PC in 2027. Keep an eye out for a special event running from November 28 to December 9; you can get an access code by joining the EVE Vanguard Discord.