EVE Online officially opens the new Foundation Quadrant today, kicking off a series of events to celebrate the game’s 18th anniversary. The event celebrations will include connected in-game story developments, art updates, player rewards, and tie-in with the upcoming annual Capsuleer Day celebration on 6-18 May.

In case you missed it, Quadrants act as EVE Online’s yearly roadmap of sorts. Four Quadrants are released each year with new and improved content and features, along with new game events focused on a particular EVE Online theme and aspect. According to the official CCP news release, the Foundation Quadrant launching today “will embody the pride felt across New Eden within four of its mightiest Empires; the Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, and Minmatar.”

The four empires of New Eden make up the ‘foundation’ of EVE Online, and over the game’s (inter)stellar 18-year run, have come to inhabit their own individual identity. Each empire’s identity has been developed mainly through the in-game actions of the Capsuleers who play them, and CCP wants to spotlight the pride and accomplishments the players have created and represented throughout the game’s history.

The 18th-anniversary Capsuleer Day celebration officially begins on 6 May at 11:00 UTC (4 a.m. PDT) and will last a full 12 days until 11:00 UTC (4 a.m. PDT) on 18 May. Events will be “focused on celebrating each of the four main Empires” and will consist of “limited-time challenges, art updates, rewards, daily gifts, and plenty more.” Keep your eyes on the EVE Online website for incoming details about in-game opportunities and rewards that’ll be included.

The Foundation Quadrant period will also see EVE Online receive a cargo holds’ worth of new content and upgrades and fixes to current content. One of the most important new content features will be the opening of the newly-constructed stargate to the NPC Nullsec region of Stain. Other incoming significant new content features and improvements to Industry (mainly to Tech I ship manufacturing) will be finalized in this Quadrant.

Click over to the official news release for more info on the Foundation Quadrant and to connect to the EVE Online social channels to tune into live updates and more on the anniversary details.

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