CCP announces partnerships for comics and TV based on True Stories

During tonight's CCP Keynote, two announcements caught fans by surprise. Based on true stories submitted by and voted on by fans of the game, the Icelandic developer has partnered with Dark Horse Comics and Blue Vision to bring the EVE universe to comics and TV.

Creative director and new head of CCP's IP Development division, Torfi Frans Ólafsson, explained that the firm was looking to expand beyond the reach of traditional video games. Part of this was partnering with Musterbrand to relaunch the EVE store with a new range of clothing, but in ways that aren't about creating 'walking billboards for the game.'

While wearing a Caldari officer shirt will get you a knowing nod from other fans, Ólafsson continued by describing how he didn't want to stop there. 3D printing was of particular interest, with examples such as Dust mercenaries and player avatar models being suggested or explored.

With submissions for the True Story archive closing on May 7th, Ólafsson was eager to share an example of how those player stories would be used. Partnering with Dark Horse Comics, CCP is aiming to release a 64-page comic named EVE: True Stories, brought to life by four author/artist partnerships. Scheduled for release in Winter 2013, the digital edition will be free of charge.

The second product of the collaboration with Dark Horse Comics is a hardback coffee table book. Containing 184 full-color pages, EVE Source will be an in-character rendition of the EVE universe, full of art and lore that has never been released before. As with the comic, CCP hopes to have this hit stores in Winter 2013.

After coming on-stage to present the latest EVE trailer, CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson shared information on a TV series currently in planning stages. Collaborating with Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur and Blue Vision, the firm has decided to forgo a movie as being "too short". Instead, the team will be working on a TV series described as "based on a true story 20,000 years from now."

In a short video presented at EVE Fanfest, Kormákur explained how he wanted to "honor the game [and] honor the players" in presenting the world of New Eden to a new audience. Currently working on an HBO series pilot in Hungary, Kormákur's latest movie 2 Guns is coming out in the summer.

Pétursson was keen to stress that the CCP will continue to maintain focus on continuing to deliver solid gaming experiences. But with Ólafsson managing the firm's IP, and his team focused on cementing strong partnerships, we can expect to see even more possibilities in the future.

Gareth "Gazimoff" Harmer, Senior Contributing Editor

Additional reporting by Chris Rainey