adminThe reported CCP Games sale would return the developer of EVE Online to its CEO, Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, eight years after Pearl Abyss acquired the studio. The deal is reported to include $100 million in cash and $20 million in token acquisition rights, rather than the larger amount Pearl Abyss originally paid.
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What the CCP Games sale includes
Pearl Abyss reportedly bought CCP Games in 2018 for $225 million in cash, with a further $200 million in performance-related payouts. The newly reported agreement is valued at $100 million in cash, plus $20 million in rights connected to tokens. The terms therefore differ substantially from the original acquisition price and structure.
The token rights are believed to relate to EVE Frontier, a blockchain-based survival game in development. CCP raised $40 million for the project in 2023 in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. The game is available in pre-release form to people who purchase Founder Access.
Its terms describe on-chain assets called “Alpha Tokens” and disclaim liability, to the fullest extent allowed by law, regarding their nature or value. That qualification matters: the reported $20 million in token acquisition rights should not be read as a guarantee that tokens have a fixed or readily recoverable market value.
Why Pearl Abyss is selling CCP Games
Pearl Abyss said it had considered several medium- and long-term growth strategies before deciding that a sale to CCP’s current management best served both companies’ futures. The company also said the price reflected CCP’s current business structure and market conditions.
Pearl Abyss described the 2018 acquisition as a strategic move to gain international intellectual property and diversify its portfolio. It said the wider gaming market and its own priorities have since changed. For readers following the transaction, the key point is that the company has framed the sale as a strategic shift, rather than a change to CCP’s games or development plans.
What changes for EVE Online and other projects?
CCP said the ownership and governance change would not affect its teams, products or development plans. The company is completing legal and regulatory steps and said it would share more details when appropriate. Until those steps are finished, the reported transaction should be treated as a pending ownership change.
CCP has explored ways to expand the EVE franchise beyond its long-running MMO. Before Pearl Abyss acquired the studio, it cancelled two shooter spin-offs. Another announced project, the extraction shooter Vanguard, is listed for release later this year following a public trial in October 2025.
How CCP fits into Pearl Abyss’ business
Pearl Abyss has also found major success with Crimson Desert, which has reportedly sold more than five million copies since launching in March. In the company’s most recent financial report, EVE Online accounted for around a third of revenue. The rest came from its earlier MMO, Black Desert.
This revenue mix helps explain why the CCP Games sale is significant for both companies: Pearl Abyss is changing its portfolio, while CCP is returning to leadership under its CEO. The deal’s reported value includes cash and token-related rights, and its final status depends on completion of the remaining legal and regulatory steps.
