CCP Games, the Icelandic studio behind the long-running MMO EVE Online, has open-sourced its proprietary game engine. The engine, developed over years and used for EVE Online and other internal projects, is now available to the public under an MIT license.
This move fulfills a long-standing commitment from the studio to make its engine publicly accessible. The engine has been the backbone of CCP's development efforts, powering experiences that have evolved significantly since EVE Online's initial launch in 2003. The open-sourcing initiative means that developers worldwide can now access, modify, and contribute to the codebase.
While CCP Games continues to operate and develop its titles, including the persistent space-based MMO, the decision to open source the engine represents a significant gesture towards the broader game development community. This approach can foster innovation and collaboration, allowing external developers to learn from and build upon the technology that has supported a complex virtual world for over two decades.