Eve Online's new crossover event may be the most ambitious thing I've ever seen

If there's one thing that we don't see enough of in our space games, it's wormholes. You know, big timey-wimey black holes that suck you in one end and spit you out the other. Whether they transport you through time, space, or both, they're great. Thankfully, Eve Online is increasing the frequency of wormholes appearing in its new update, but that's far from the headline act. Developer CCP Games is launching Operation Nemesis, an event which connects Eve Online with its upcoming FPS cousin, Eve Vanguard. It's a bold and experimental play that could rewrite the rules for live service titles, but could just as easily crash and burn on re-entry.

For those of you unaware, Eve Vanguard is an expansion of the Eve universe that revolves around FPS gameplay-simulating the on-the-ground firefights that take place as your Eve Online spaceships are duking it out above the atmosphere.

But what does that have to do with one of the best space games on the market? Well, Eve Vanguard's next free trial ahead of its estimated 2026 launch is, essentially, a crossover with Eve Online. While FPS heads fight it out on the ground, their achievements-and, presumably, failures-will impact Eve Online.

Completing assignments as a Warclone in Vanguard will reveal high-value convoys in Eve Online. Capsuleers over there can earn valuable resources by intercepting these convoys. However, it's not as easy as you might think. Your tasks in Vanguard involve pushing back Mordu's Legion and disabling Upwell defenses, while every Capsuleer within five jumps of a convoy's spawn in Online will be alerted to its location, creating a race against other players to loot its hoard.

This major update for Eve Online: Legion also includes sweeping balance changes for the ships, focusing on improving underutilized spacecraft to expand potential strategies. Those wormhole connections I mentioned will appear more frequently, and offer quality of life upgrades for those who dare venture into their depths.

Mercenary-style contracts will also be available through the Freelance system, and everyone will receive a free (but time-limited) character resculpt token.

All that's left to do is decide where you'll fight. Will you join the troops on the ground in Vanguard, or pilot the ships in orbit in Online? Surely it's too much to ask one player to complete both, especially with the time limits imposed.

Eve Online: Legion Operation Nemesis begins at 4am PDT / 7am EDT / 12pm BST / 1pm CEST on Tuesday, September 16, and lasts until the same time on Thursday, October 2. The Eve Vanguard free trial will be available for the same period, before its early access launch in summer 2026. You can download Eve Vanguard here.

If you need time to exercise your trigger finger after spending too long in a spaceship, check out our list of the best FPS games to prepare you for planetfall. Alternatively, our list of the best MMOs will have you covered until the update drops.

What do you make of this ambitious cross-game event? Let us know in our community Discord server, where staff and readers chat about all things gaming.