As EVE Online approaches the start of its 2nd decade in existence, the developers have revealed their new development approach for the title on its EVE Insider Dev Blog, which can be viewed here. Beyond listing and discussing the challenges and achievements that EVE Online has had over its past decade, the blog also reveals some important insight into what players can expect out of future patches.

The image above provides a clear picture of what the developers have been doing in the past for EVE Online and how it will be changing now. While the new development plan will still maintain the yearly themes that CCP has been doing already, what will change is the timing and size of the updates in terms of categories. Meaning instead of developing all winter long on creating and releasing new ships and balancing existing ships, this will be worked on throughout the entire year and beyond alongside all other categories. Thus the changes within each category (exploration, ships / balancing, PvE, POSes, and sovereignty) will now be coming together in each patch.

"So as we look to 2013 and beyond, I want us to start looking not at individual systems but rather at compelling themes which capture the imagination and give all of us something to strive for, be it as a player or a developer. Within these themes we can then tackle the various systems that are within EVE Online a piece at a time and weave them together to make expansions people will be drooling over to play. Something rather more ambitious without forgetting that we need to care for this game as we want it to live for many decades to come. The picture below gives you an idea of what I am talking about, themed releases which encompass a number of different systems which all combine together into something everyone will want to play."

Of course it remains to be seen how successfully they can capitalise on this plan, if they do manage to pull it off it will definitely build towards a long-term improved EVE Online, with all areas receiving equal attention and being addressed non-stop. Rather than in seasonal batches.