EVE Echoes, the mobile spin-off of the popular space-faring MMORPG EVE Online, is being delayed due to scheduling impacts from the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Announced back in 2018, EVE Echoes was originally scheduled for 2019 before being pushed into 2020.
The COVID-19 coronavirus has led to more than 80,000 infections and 2,700 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. It’s also led to widespread disruption in trade and travel, including in the games industry. Recently, Sony announced that it wasn’t attending PAX East and both Kojima Productions and EA cancelled plans to attend GDC, out of concern over the spreading virus. Starting in January, effects from the coronavirus were also felt in the world of eSports, when fear of the illness led eSports events including Overwatch League matches to be cancelled or postponed. Since those early announcements, the virus has continued to spread at an alarming rate, leading to rising fear that it may become a global pandemic.
China, the site of the initial outbreak and the country hardest hit by COVID-19, has taken extreme measures to contain the virus, including broad quarantines. Workers across the country have been told to stay home from work, which has led to record player counts for some games, but hampered the development of others. According to the EVE Echoes Twitter account, the upcoming game has been delayed again due to the coronavirus outbreak. Under development by NetEase, which is based in Guangzhou, China, EVE Echoes is now expected out sometime in “late 2020,” with a final release date still to be determined.
Despite its delay, EVE Echoes is still scheduled to make an appearance at the upcoming EVE Fanfest in April. Also appearing at the event is Scott Manley, a scientist and YouTuber who recently bought an in-game ship for $33,000 to support Australian wildfire relief efforts. While there hasn’t been an official announcement, the convention could also be a good time to address the cancelled EVE shooter spin-off, Project Nova. Developer CCP Games recently announced that the project was being scuttled, but reported that some of the work on the game could be funneled into another in-development shooter in the EVE universe.
While game delays are often disappointing, the EVE community seems to be taking the announcement in stride, particularly considering the circumstances. It’s important to keep the real human cost of the coronavirus in perspective and, as the players eagerly awaiting EVE Echoes seem to be doing, remembering that the health of individual developers is more important than any game.