The developer of EVE Online is going independent again, in a deal that uniquely positions its complex virtual world as a training ground for one of the world's top AI firms. CCP Games is rebranding to its original name, Fenris Creations, after a management-led buyout from Pearl Abyss valued at approximately $120 million, and has announced a research partnership with Google's DeepMind.
"Today, we announced that we are becoming Fenris Creations: an independent company built to support the long-term future of the EVE universe," CEO Hilmar Petursson said in a letter. He called the move a "return to roots" for the developer.
The buyout amounts to 177.132 billion Korean won, ending Pearl Abyss's ownership and returning the studio and its intellectual property, including EVE Online and upcoming titles like EVE Vanguard, to its management. Separately, the agreement with Google's DeepMind will allow the AI research lab to use an offline version of EVE Online to study complex systems and their applications, keeping the research separate from the live game servers.
The dual moves create a newly independent and well-capitalized player in the gaming market, while providing Alphabet's (GOOGL) DeepMind unit with an unparalleled environment for AI behavior research. For Google, access to a virtual world with 23 years of emergent human behavior offers a potential long-term advantage in developing more sophisticated AI, a development seen as bullish for the tech giant's competitive standing.
The rebranding to Fenris Creations marks a full circle for the Icelandic company. The name, inspired by Norse mythology, was the original name of the studio when it was founded. The buyout from South Korean publisher Pearl Abyss, which is reportedly refocusing on its own title Crimson Desert, was seen as a strategic opportunity by CEO Hilmar Petursson to reclaim the studio's destiny. The deal covers all of the company's assets, including the flagship EVE Online, which recently celebrated its 23rd anniversary, and other EVE-universe games in development.
The partnership with Google's DeepMind is a significant development for both the gaming and AI industries. DeepMind will use a "separate, controlled space" with an offline version of the game to conduct its research. EVE Online is famous for its player-driven economy, complex social structures, and large-scale conflicts, making it a rich sandbox for studying complex systems and emergent behavior. This provides Google with a unique dataset and environment that is difficult to replicate, potentially accelerating research into AI that can understand and navigate intricate, multi-agent scenarios.
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