Eve Online (stylised EVE Online) is a space-based, persistent world massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by CCP Games. Players of Eve Online can participate in a number of in-game professions and activities, including mining, piracy, manufacturing, trading, exploration, and combat (both player versus environment and player versus player). The game contains a total of 7,800 star systems that can be visited by players.[1][2]

The game is renowned for its scale and complexity with regards to player interactions – in its single, shared game world, players engage in unscripted economic competition, warfare, and political schemes with other players.[3] The Bloodbath of B-R5RB, a battle involving thousands of players in a single star system, took 21 hours and was recognized as one of the largest and most expensive battles in gaming history.[4] Eve Online was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art with a video including the historical events and accomplishments of the playerbase.[5]

Eve Online was released in North America and Europe in May 2003. It was published from May to December 2003 by Simon & Schuster Interactive,[6] after which CCP purchased the rights and began to self-publish via a digital distribution scheme.[7] On January 22, 2008, it was announced that Eve Online would be distributed via Steam.[8] On March 10, 2009, the game was again made available in boxed form in stores, released by Atari, Inc.[9] In February 2013, Eve Online reached over 500,000 subscribers.[10] On November 11, 2016, Eve Online added a limited free-to-play version.[11]