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EVE Online Creator CCP Games Acquired by Pearl Abyss
A pair of elite MMO makers are teaming up with the surprise announcement that CCP Games, known best for EVE Online, has been acquired by another developer. Their new owner? Black Desert Online developer Pearl Abyss.
Pearl Abyss made its name with the successful launch of Black Desert Online in Korea, which has since expanded worldwide and to additional platforms. In 2018 that success continued with the launch of Black Desert Mobile, and now, the acquisition of CCP Games and is three studios. With the mobile title expanding worldwide in 2019 and several unannounced titles from CCP in development, Pearl Abyss is expecting next year to be their biggest yet.
CCP Games currently has EVE: Valkyrie, Sparc, and their own mobile title, EVE: War of Ascension, alongside other VR projects on the market and revealed at EVE Fanfest this spring that their highly anticipated shooter - the still untitled Project Nova - will be playable later this year. There's been no word since but CCP is hosting an EVE Vegas event next month where we expect to learn more.
The partnership between Pearl and CCP is an interesting one given their own unique successes and development skills in the online arena. EVE players don't have to worry about their being any change to EVE online since the plan is for CCP to "operate independently as a developer with studios in Reykjavik, London and Shanghai, while integrating the company’s extensive development and publishing expertise into Pearl Abyss’ operations for all current and future projects." The acquisition is being positioned as a strategic partnership with access to more resources.
CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson:
“I have been seriously impressed with what Pearl Abyss has achieved ever since I first visited their website for Black Desert Online and subsequently became an avid player of the game. Pearl Abyss is a fast-growing company with lots to offer in terms of technology, capability and vision. I believe our two companies have a lot to learn from each other. We are very excited to join forces with them and achieve great new heights for our companies, our games and – above all - our players.”
Pearl Abyss CEO Robin Jung:
“We are thrilled to have CCP Games join our team as Black Desert Online continues to branch out globally. CCP is a seasoned publisher with over 15 years of digital distribution experience and know-how. They have done an incredible job of engaging and maintaining their playerbase, which we aim to learn from and hope to integrate natively into Pearl Abyss’ general practices across all our games. I am confident CCP’s reputable IP and expertise in global publishing will help reaffirm our company’s dedication to developing and servicing the world’s best MMORPGs.”
