EVE Vanguard, the MMOFPS Promising to “Respect Your Time,” Set for Steam Early Access Next Summer

I’ve yammered on more than I should about my weirdly cautious, yet hopeful vibe toward CCP’s new shooter, EVE Vanguard. The folks who brought us the space epic EVE Online are trying to shake things up with this FPS. They’re eyeing up Destiny and Helldivers 2, thinking, “We can take this to the next level!” Sounds bold, right? They’re dreaming of making it hit home harder for us ordinary gamers, trying to spice up a genre some folks say needs a Red Bull.

Now, some people are looking at those grandiose promises with raised eyebrows. Can’t blame them, can you? If you’re itching for all the juicy details, there’s a link somewhere up top to quench your curiosity. As I muddle through EVE FanFest 2025, more updates on that front are coming. But seriously, talk is cheap and CCP knows it. Today, at their big ol’ FanFest bash, they finally aired the news: our first go at EVE Vanguard in early access is on the horizon—Summer 2026, if you’re wondering, via Steam.

Oh, but hang on. If you can’t wait that long, there’s a test drive coming up sooner—September 16. Enthusiastic trigger-happy folks can dive in way ahead of the scheduled general preview. Hit up their Discord for the lowdown on getting in on that action.

So, CCP’s touting EVE Vanguard as some player-driven shooter sandbox—MMOFPS is how they’re branding it, which sounds like a mouthful, doesn’t it? Apparently, it’s all about you choosing your path, making your story amidst never-ending space skirmishes. Digging through ruins, hunting foes, scoring loot—planetary chaos awaits. Their press release screams opportunity and adventure. Marketing fluff? Maybe, but from what I’ve glimpsed, it comes across as a genuinely fresh twist on the usual shoot-’em-up grind many of us are stuck in. Oh, but I’m sworn to secrecy by embargo till later, so hang tight for juicy deets.

If you’ve been tallying dates with a meticulous eye, you might have noticed some changes in the timeline from what I previously reported—2024 was supposed to bring us Founder’s access, 2025 was for early access, with a full-on launch in 2027 and consoles joining the party in 2028. Now, it looks like early access has jumped ahead a year. Whether the delay dominoes the other dates? Your guess is as good as mine. Rest assured, I’ll be chasing CCP for answers all weekend long.

Meanwhile, those itching to see how Vanguard stacks up against its competitors, like Marathon and Arc Raiders, will soon get their chance. The anticipation is real.