adminFenris Creations is the new name for the studio behind EVE Online, following its sale by Pearl Abyss. The developer is returning to independent ownership, while its leadership, teams, games, and development plans remain in place. The transition also brings a research partnership with Google DeepMind, with Google taking a minority stake in the company.
Image credit: Fenris Creations
Fenris Creations becomes an independent studio
The sale transfers CCP Games to its CEO, Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, for a total of $120 million: $100 million in cash and $20 million in cryptocurrency. The studio will operate independently under the Fenris Creations name.
For players and employees, the company says the change does not mean a shift in its current structure. Its leadership team, products, and development plans are unchanged, and Fenris Creations has confirmed that the transition will not involve restructuring or layoffs.
The company will keep its headquarters in Vatnsmýrin, Iceland. Its studios in Reykjavík, London, and Shanghai will also continue operating. For EVE Online players, these details indicate that the ownership change is not being accompanied by an announced change to the game’s development team or plans.
What the Google DeepMind partnership involves
Fenris Creations and Google DeepMind will work together on research into intelligence in complex, changing systems. Their areas of interest include long-horizon planning, memory, and continual learning. Google’s minority investment is part of this broader partnership.
As part of the research, Google DeepMind will use an offline version of EVE Online running on a local server. This provides a controlled environment for testing and evaluating models without using the live game world. Fenris Creations says the collaboration will also explore potential new gameplay experiences.
The arrangement is focused on research and experimentation; the announcement does not specify changes to EVE Online’s live services or a release schedule for new features. Players should therefore distinguish the offline research environment from the game they currently play.
Why Pearl Abyss sold CCP Games
Pearl Abyss acquired CCP Games in 2018 for $225 million in cash, with an additional $200 million in performance-related payouts. The company said the decision to sell was based on CCP Games’ current business structure and market conditions. It also noted that the wider gaming environment and its own strategic priorities had changed since the acquisition.
Pétursson described the new ownership structure as a way to gain direct control and make long-term investments in the studio’s game worlds. He also thanked Pearl Abyss for its support during the companies’ seven-and-a-half-year relationship. Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind’s CEO and co-founder, said the partnership would explore gaming experiences and AI research within EVE Online’s complex, player-driven universe.
What the Fenris Creations transition means
Fenris Creations is continuing as an independent studio with the same leadership, locations, products, and development plans, according to the company. The sale also establishes a research relationship with Google DeepMind, including controlled offline testing using EVE Online. For now, the clearest practical takeaway for players is that no restructuring, layoffs, or changes to the game’s development plans have been announced.
