Commemorating EVE Online, game developer CCP embarks on a unique project: a medieval-style book of epic verse, painstakingly penned with player blood on calfskin parchment, as an intriguing method of memory preservation.
Stepping into the Bizarre:
CPC Games, the masterminds behind EVE Online, unveiled a bizarre new homage to their long-running sci-fi MMO. Who would've thought, a poem steeped in the style of ancient Icelandic sagas, inked with the very blood of devoted EVE players. And, get this - they're generous enough to give it away for free!
At the closing of this year's EVE Fanfest, CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson took the stage to share this out-there celebration. "We're obsessed about 'foreverness,'" said Pétursson, "It turns out, to store information, a really good way is to take blood and write on calfskin. And people in Iceland were doing this 1,000 years ago, and you still have the books."
CPC sent waves through the gaming community at the convention's outset, revealing their upcoming initiative to create a book of epic poetry, aptly named the "Foundational Poem." This literary masterpiece will attempt to encapsulate some of the pivotal moments, ideas, and themes of EVE's sprawling player-driven community. Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason will oversee the project, drawing inspiration from a myriad of global poetic styles, ably assisted by a network of poets.
Artisans of the Ages
Flash forward to the closing ceremony, and Pétursson expounded on the intricacies of this endeavor. He announced that a yet-to-be-determined number of the medieval-style manuscripts will be created by experts who have historically worked for prestigious clients such as the Pope and the British Empire. "But now they work for us," quipped Pétursson.
Rumor has it that one of these ancient relics will be placed in Iceland's very own Arnastofnun, alongside the sagas. Another will reside within the Pyramids, or perhaps the Library of Congress, or another prestigious location that will be carefully selected and announced.
For the die-hard EVE fans, there will be a mainstream version of the epic poem available for purchase so you can reimagine the pages of this rich text within the comfort of your own home.
The Ultimate Ink Sacrifice
In a move reminiscent of medieval monks, fans will have a unique opportunity to contribute to the archival copies. "We're gonna get the Blood Bank of Iceland to be here at the next Fanfest," said Pétursson. "You can donate blood for the good of the Blood Bank of Iceland, but we'll take a little bit at a time from every Fanfest attendee, and then we'll mix it up, and we'll use it to write the poetry."
Mark your calendars, EVE enthusiasts. The next Fanfest is scheduled for May of 2026. So, if you fancy your blood mingling with a piece of EVE history, make sure to stay hydrated, keep your iron up, and steer clear of any pesky bloodborne illnesses.
This isn't the first time CCP has gone all out to commemorate their game and its incredible community. For EVE's 10-year anniversary, the studio commissioned a monument at Reykjavik's harbor, complete with engraved names of every EVE player.
Additionally, CCP is hard at work on several other projects: sister FPS, Vanguard; a continuation of their PlayStation 3-exclusive shooter, Dust 514; and EVE Frontier, a revolutionary, survival-focused space game with an ambitious emphasis on player modding.
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- Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CPC Games, announced during the closing of EVE Fanfest that a portion of the medieval-style manuscripts for the "Foundational Poem" will be created by experts who have worked for prestigious clients in the past, such as the Pope and the British Empire.
- Fans will have a unique opportunity to contribute to the archival copies of the "Foundational Poem" during the next Fanfest, as a little bit of their blood will be used to write the poetry, reminiscent of medieval monks.
- The mainstream version of the epic poetry will be available for purchase, allowing die-hard EVE fans to reimagine the pages of this rich text within the comfort of their own homes.
- After the release of the "Foundational Poem," one of the manuscripts will be placed in Iceland's Arnastofnun, alongside the sagas, and another will reside in prestigious locations such as the Pyramids, the Library of Congress, or other yet-to-be-announced locations.
- CPC Games is not only known for their ambitious and unconventional homages to their games, like the "Foundational Poem" and the monument at Reykjavik's harbor, but they are also hard at work on several other projects, including sister FPS, Vanguard, a continuation of Dust 514, and EVE Frontier.
