Following its $120 million sale from Pearl Abyss, CCP Games, the creator of Eve Online, is now operating independently under the name Fenris Creations.
The company assured that despite the change in ownership, the leadership team, studios, products, and development plans will remain unchanged, with no restructuring or layoffs planned.
Fenris Creations will maintain its organizational structure, with headquarters in Vatnsmýrin, Iceland, and studios in Reykjavík, London, and Shanghai continuing operations.
As part of the transition, Fenris Creations has entered a research partnership with Google DeepMind, with Google acquiring a minority stake in the studio. The partnership aims to advance understanding of intelligence in complex systems and explore areas such as long-horizon planning and continual learning.
Google DeepMind will utilize an offline version of Eve Online on a local server to test and evaluate models in a controlled environment, while Fenris Creations looks to innovate new gameplay experiences through this collaboration.
Earlier discussions by Fenris Creations developers during AI week focused on utilizing AI in coding.
CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson expressed gratitude to Pearl Abyss for their partnership and support over the years, emphasizing the studio’s commitment to evolving Eve Online into a living universe that continuously grows and explores new possibilities.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis praised the partnership with Fenris Creations, highlighting the opportunity to advance AI research within the complex world of Eve Online.
Pearl Abyss, the developer of Crimson Desert, sold CCP Games back to its CEO for $100 million plus $20 million in cryptocurrency, following the initial acquisition of CCP Games for $225 million in cash and $200 million in performance-related payouts in 2018.
A spokesperson for Pearl Abyss stated that the selling price was determined based on CCP Games’ business structure and market conditions, reflecting shifts in the global gaming business environment and the company’s strategic priorities.