The universe has been wiped for the fifth time, so all players – or riders as they are known – have to start again from scratch to build their capabilities in this harsh environment as EVE Frontier kicks off Sanctuary, its sixth three-month-long gameplay cycle.
One piece of good news is that everyone can play for free until the end of the month. Then access will revert to accounts that have paid for Founder Access.
The bad news is that the update makes the universe even more demanding than before, as environmental hazards such as temperature extremes have been introduced. This means ship positioning around stars becomes crucial so you don’t overheat or freeze. The NPC Feral AI ships are also more unpredictable and deadly in terms of their behavior.
The most significant changes, however, are all about placing more control and power in the hands of players.
This is seen most clearly in the new ship system, which swaps a level-based catalog with a modular approach in which players get a base unit and expand its capabilities by acquiring, integrating and evolving modules that unlock new functionality and specializations. Basic printing, refining, and module construction can now be performed aboard the vessel instead of requiring the creation of external objects. Further modules, combinations, and customization planned for future Cycles.
“Sanctuary is where the central experience of EVE Frontier begins to take shape,” says game director Sæmundur Hermannsson.
“Riders awaken with very little and must learn to scavenge, build, adapt, and create their own place of safety in a world that remains dangerous even when they step away. This survival loop gives every system a clear purpose and establishes the foundation we will continue to deepen in future Cycles.”
Another key change is the fuel-driven economy. This enables player to exchange the LUX currency for a test version of what will be the game’s EVE token to perform actions such as acquiring mining lenses, extracting crude matter from rifts, and refining it into fuel.
LUX is obtained by looting feral drones and trading with roaming trader drones, while fuel is used to power ships, bases, industry, infrastructure, travel, and other essential systems. The goal is create a game with a sustainable economy that’s shaped by scarcity, logistics, risk, and player choice.
“Cycle 6 brings together systems we have been developing and testing throughout Founder Access,” explains development director David Bowman.
“Modular ships, environmental hazards, evolving Ferals, Dormant Gates, and Fuel are interconnected parts of the same experience. Each creates new decisions for players and new opportunities for the world to respond to what they build, discover, and risk.”
Find out more at the EVE Frontier website.
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