EVE Vanguard is CCP Games' free sci-fi extraction shooter set in the EVE Online universe. Deploy as an immortal Warclone, raid planetary crash sites, and extract before losing your gear.
EVE Vanguard is a free-to-play sci-fi extraction shooter developed by CCP Games, set within the same persistent universe as EVE Online. Rather than a traditional MMORPG, Vanguard is a high-stakes first-person shooter where every deployment onto a hostile planet carries real consequences — the equipment you bring can be lost permanently if you fail to extract.
In 2026, CCP revealed Operation Avalon — a full overhaul rebuilding Vanguard's combat from the ground up with expanded enemy types, entirely new weapons, and a more refined risk-and-extraction loop. The Operation Avalon Alpha Playtest opens July 7–20 on Steam and via the EVE Launcher, with the full Alpha launching in November 2026.
You play as a Warclone — an immortal soldier whose consciousness is stored in neural implants. Death in the field doesn't end your existence; your mind transfers to a new body. However, all the gear you deployed with is gone. This is the core tension that defines every run: push deeper into a site for better technology and rarer loot, or extract before losing everything you risked.
The Warclone concept ties directly into EVE Online's lore — these are the same immortal capsuleer-class soldiers described in EVE fiction, now fighting on the surfaces of planets contested by New Eden's factions.
Between deployments, Warclones return to the Warbarge — a mobile command vessel orbiting the target planet. The Warbarge serves as your persistent hub between incursions:
Each incursion is a structured sequence of escalating tension:
Weapons in EVE Vanguard are highly configurable using a chipset system. Rather than a fixed weapon kit, players can:
This modularity rewards pre-run preparation as much as moment-to-moment combat skill. Understanding which damage type counters which enemy class is part of the tactical layer that separates experienced Warclones from new deployments.
EVE Vanguard is designed to integrate directly with EVE Online over time. Warclone operations on planetary surfaces — securing territory, raiding sites, disrupting installations — are intended to have tangible effects on the wider EVE Online campaigns and faction power dynamics. CCP describes this as a living connection between the two games where ground-level Vanguard play shapes outcomes in New Eden's space-based conflict.
Players do not need an active EVE Online account to play Vanguard, though both games share the same universe and launcher.
No. EVE Online is CCP's long-running space MMO where players pilot ships across New Eden. EVE Vanguard is a separate first-person extraction shooter set in the same universe, focused on ground-level planetary combat as immortal Warclones. The two games are designed to connect over time — Vanguard actions will influence EVE Online campaigns — but they are distinct games with separate installs.
No. EVE Vanguard is playable as a standalone extraction shooter without any knowledge of EVE Online. The Warclone concept and lore connections enrich the experience for EVE players, but Vanguard's core gameplay loop — deploy, raid, extract — is self-contained and approachable for players new to the franchise.
Yes. EVE Vanguard is free to download and play. CCP Games has not announced a premium subscription requirement. The full Alpha launching November 2026 will be available via the EVE Launcher at no cost, though in-game monetization details for the full release have not been fully disclosed.
Your consciousness transfers to a backup body — you don't lose your character permanently. However, all the equipment you deployed with (weapons, armor, gear) is lost. This permanent gear loss is the central risk mechanic of every run. You return to the Warbarge alive but stripped of the loadout you risked, which is why extraction decisions are critical.
The Operation Avalon Alpha Playtest runs July 7–20, 2026, via Steam and the EVE Launcher — free to join during the window. The full Alpha then launches in November 2026 and will be available 24/7 via the EVE Launcher with no time-limited access restrictions.