EVE Online · Expansion and beginner guide
EVE Online: Fractured Skies — is now a good time to start?
CCP Games scheduled Fractured Skies for 10 November 2026 at 11:00 UTC. The biggest change for new pilots is the chance to try fitted ships before spending money on a hull and working out which modules to buy. Veteran players get four new battlecruisers and campaigns in which actions in EVE Vanguard influence which sites appear in EVE Online.[1]
How do you claim a free AIR Academy ship?
Dock at a station in Exordium and open the AIR Academy Ships service. It offers 13 fitted ships, including setups for combat, exploration and mining. Your character can try ships from any faction.[1]
You can hold one training ship at a time. Claiming another replaces it and returns your added standard equipment and cargo to your inventory. Academy ships can operate in Exordium and the Abyss. When you want to travel farther, the service gives you an option to buy the standard counterpart and its fit on the market.[1]
CCP also refreshed 37 Level 1 combat mission sites. The overview shows fewer distractions, so the objects you need to interact with are easier to spot.[1]
Where do you enable the new HUD?
Open Feature Previews in the client settings and enable the new HUD. This is an opt-in beta. The first changes cover the control panel at the bottom of the screen, including shields, armor, capacitor and active modules. If you're still learning the interface, try both layouts and see which makes it easier to spot overheating and control your speed.[1]
Four new battlecruisers for fleets
The Oracle Navy Issue uses large energy turrets, the Naga Navy Issue boosts cruise missiles and torpedoes, the Talos Navy Issue favors large hybrid turrets, and the Tornado Fleet Issue uses large projectile turrets. The respective militia LP store sells each blueprint copy for 52,000 LP and 13 million ISK. You'll also need the construction materials.[1]
How does Vanguard open sites in EVE Online?
During the new campaigns, players in EVE Vanguard complete expeditions and contracts. That progress generates temporary SARO Black Sites in high-sec and low-sec in EVE Online. These PvE, exploration and mining sites yield more campaign items than regular sites.[1][2]
Pilots can locate them with the map filter under Activity and check the number of active sites in Theaters of War. CCP says EVE Vanguard will be available through a separate, paid alpha that runs around the clock.[1][2]
What should you do on your first evening?
Claim a ship in Exordium, finish a short mission, then swap to an exploration or mining fit. This lets you see what the different modules do before buying several hulls to experiment. Before leaving the region, compare the training and standard versions in the Ship Tree and check the cost of the full fit.
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