My Take on EVE’s Latest Big Bang
Everything you need to know about the EVE Online Catalyst expansion — features, commentary, and capsuleer insights.
Speaking of Catalyst, it’s not just a word for something that speeds things up — or in EVE’s case, makes things spicy. It’s also the name of a destroyer-class ship famously beloved by gankers. Given how this expansion heavily influences mining, I find the name hilarious… or maybe even prodigistic?
Anyway, EVE expansions are like Christmas morning for me — always exciting, always packed with new toys to play with, test, or theorycraft around. I’m genuinely happy that CCP Games returned to the twice-a-year big release format, instead of the smaller quadrant updates that diluted the punch of new content. And it’s not just me — other capsuleers and even devs themselves agree that dropping a chunky expansion, covering multiple layers of gameplay and playstyles, feels more impactful and welcome.
A few days ago, CCP Burger, CCP Rattati, and CCP Okami hosted a dev chat on CCPTV (record link). I recommend watching the recording to hear the why behind their decisions — not just the what. I’ve previously interviewed CCP Rattati and CCP Burger during my Fanfest 2025 saga and visit to CCP Games HQ in Reykjavik (Read the whole store with a gallery here). Back then, we talked about the Legion expansion, but they also revealed the full-year roadmap — which included Catalyst. So now, I’m finally happy to share and enjoy all these things together with you — not holding them inside, bound by NDAs or embargoes.
If you want to read the full patch notes, you can do that on the official page — meanwhile, here’s my personal commentary and perception of EVE Online’s latest expansion: Catalyst.
One last thing before we dive into the goodies: if you’ve got EVE Online installed, launch the character selection screen, put on your headphones, and enjoy the new musical masterpiece composed by CCP’s in-house musicians. (Yes, EVE has sound and music >_<)
Table of Contents
DOTLAN Goes Native: EVE’s New 2D Map
At first, I was skeptical about this feature. Why do we need in-game maps and jump route planners when we already have DOTLAN? Most of my travel routes and regions I’ve memorized over the years, like a London taxi driver hehe.
But when CCP Burger shared his presentation deck before the stage announcements at EVE Fanfest 2025, each slide had what he called an “audience excitement meter”, ranging from 1 to 5 stars. The 2D map slide was marked with 8 stars. And he was right — when he flipped that slide onto the big screen, the Harpa audience exploded with cheers and applause.
Later, I interviewed some random capsuleers, and most claimed 2D map was the single most wanted feature. When I asked why, the answers were consistent: in-game route planning and jump-range visualization. The new map also comes with a bunch of filters for resource harvesting and situational awareness, so make sure to press F10 once you’re in the game.
Ironically, I still have a few old 2D maps printed out. Now, we finally have a digital, interactive version. Rejoice.
Carriers Facelift
All carrier hulls received a visual overhaul — new design elements, sharper textures, and improved details — while still preserving their iconic silhouettes. There are also fresh visual effects for fighter deployment: you can now see them launch from the ship’s blast doors, and on the Thanatos there’s even an animation showing fighters emerging from the deck before takeoff. That little touch might even boost the Thanatos’ popularity among shipspinners!
The Catalyst expansion also tweaks carrier production. Build costs are down by roughly 30%, and construction time has been cut by about 10%. The goal is to make carriers a more viable option for crabbing, positioning them somewhere between Marauders and Dreadnoughts.
On top of that, carriers can now field more support fighters. Each hull has four fighter tubes and can deploy two at a time. This opens up new tactical mixes: you can still run three light flights, but now you can add a support wing; or go with two light and two support. The number of light fighter deployments hasn’t changed, but the flexibility has — encouraging more control-oriented fleet roles.
CCP is also tackling the infamous “skynetting” strategy, where carriers were used for long-range attacks with minimal drawbacks. To counter this, maximum targeting range has been reduced to around 300km. As compensation, carriers gain a new integrated sensor array. Activating it restores exceptional range, but at a cost: longer cycle times, and restrictions on docking, tethering, and warping. The module also buffs local repairs, cutting duration and capacitor use by 30%.
Carriers now boast a larger Ship Maintenance Bay too — expanded from 1,000,000m³ to 2,000,000m³ — putting them in line with the Bowhead. Which, by the way, could use its own overhaul; its role has faded as rig prices dropped, and sometimes it’s easier to just repack your fleet into an Avalanche.
CCP stresses these are incremental adjustments as they search for a new role for the class. I’ve previously floated the idea of turning carriers or supers into mobile siege platforms — temporary outposts, similar to mechanics in EVE Galaxy Conquest. It would be fascinating to see them evolve into semi-deployable vessels that add pressure during citadel sieges. I know CCP Trash Panda is overseeing this transformation, so make sure to share your feedback in the official EVE Discord.
New Ores and QoL for Miners
When I was reading the patch notes, it was kinda funny to see the words “mining,” “dynamic,” “rewarding,” and “contested” all in the same sentence. But CCP is clearly trying to entertain miners and bring more interest into this gameplay. The headline addition is a new valuable and rare ore — Prismaticite — found in migrating phased asteroid fields. For now, this type of gameplay is limited to lowsec and nullsec zones.
Another big change is Faster Mining Cycles. While the overall yield remains the same, you’re pulling rocks into your cargo four times faster. Stats like capacitor use and crystal damage are scaled to match, so it’s essentially a pure QoL improvement — faster results without changing the math.
Then there are Mining Crits. These give you a 200% ore haul without damaging the asteroid. Two new skills and a module (an upgraded survey scanner) increase crit chances. It’s a quirky addition, since mining has always been about stability and predictable results — a proper miner could calculate intake all the way to DT. Now, with crits, yield becomes wild. CCP leaning into MMO-style randomness is kinda funny. What’s next? +125% yield if you poke the asteroid from behind? Or +350% yield for the first four cycles if you ambush it from stealth? =) Joking aside, the change is actually pretty nice.
Other updates include:
- A new UI with a built-in survey scanner for all mining ships
- Hisec anomaly sites with Omber and Kernite (RIP my Kernite trading for storyline agents)
- Overhaul of mining L1&2 agents
- Mining Mutaplasmids
- Adjustments to the industrial core and Orca
- A new faction version of the Consortium Venture
Honestly, the mining changes are massive. If you’re into this side of the game, I encourage you to check the official post dedicated to it. Even as someone who isn’t a miner by trade, I queued up new mining skills just to try the changes myself.
New ship: Mining Destroyer Pioneer
There’s always been a gap between Alpha miners flying a Venture and Omega miners stepping into a barge. The new mining Destroyer-class Pioneer is designed to fill that gap. For Alphas, the Mining Destroyer skill caps at level 2, but even then they get a more comfortable mining experience — with a decent chance of recovering if ganked by a bored Catalyst.
The Pioneer for Alphas features the equivalent of 5.4 mining lasers compared to a maxed-out Venture’s 5. It also offers 60% more ore hold, better fitting options, and extra range for easier rock reach.
There’s also the Pioneer Consortium Issue Navy Destroyer, which is beefier in almost every stat. On top of that, it provides a flat +10% access difficulty bonus to salvage drones (32% with my skills on T2 Salvage Drones), which puts the Noctis in a dangerous spot. I think the Pioneer Consortium Issue will be a solid choice for lazy mission runners who prefer to salvage their battlefield in a fully automated mode.
Lastly, the Tech II variation — the Outrider. This is an industrial command destroyer, capable of fitting a Defender launcher but more importantly a Micro Jump Field Generator. It can mine on its own just like its T1 version, field a flight of boosted combat drones, and use Foreman Bursts. Unlike the Porpoise, the Outrider can’t use an industrial core, so it can’t help with ore compression. And the MJD won’t pull a Porpoise out of danger if its industrial core cycle is active (I tested). But it serves as an extra link and scout — able to yank your Hulks out of trouble if things go south.
Thanks to its role bonus to tractor beams, the Outrider will be a fantastic ship for the upcoming mining event in December, unless CCP changes something and restricts tractor beam usage inside event sites. Beyond that, it’s an interesting option for gas or ice ops.
One more thing: due to tight CPU, fitting this ship properly is tough. You’ll have to compromise between yield, tank, or fleet utility.
New SOE Command Ship: Odysseus, the Nomad’s Dream
If you follow my blog, you know I’ve been advocating for a nomadic “no-dock” lifestyle for quite a while. I even wrote a special post about designing an SOE supercapital, where I explained the playstyle I use and wish to deepen. I also talked with many CCP employees about this during my visit to their office. Well, the Odysseus is definitely a step in that direction — a ship built for going out and staying out, for a long time.
The bonuses (and there’s a massive list) are aligned with that intended gameplay: go far, stay long, and dive deep into exploration. Take the Zero-Point Mass Entangler, which lets you squeeze into the tiniest frigate wormholes. A 600m³ drone bay and laser bonuses give you sustained damage without needing ammo resupply. Armor tanking frees up your medium slots for utility. A covert ops cloak lets you travel unnoticed. Bonuses to data and relic analyzers and probe strength ensure you can clear sites. There’s even a bonus for fitting gas scoops. It’s a true Exploration Swiss knife.
And wait, there’s more. The Odysseus features:
- 750m³ cargo hold
- 1,000m³ shared fleet hangar
- 50,000m³ expedition hold (for gas, probes, data cores, and surprisingly — cap boosters)
- 75,000m³ ship maintenance bay
I added a screen with ship candidates and their volumes so you can see what Odysseus can carry. Most pilots will likely stash a hacking ship and a gas huffer, using the Odysseus as a mini-base rather than risking it directly. And yes, the maintenance bay means your fleetmates can use you as a fitting service.
With all those holds, and the tiny volume of items you can carry, redditors have already dubbed the Odysseus a “loot piñata” — capable of hauling tens of billions in goods collected after long exploration runs.
There’s also a new module type: Expedition Command Burst. It can run three charges that boost probe strength (RIP my hard-scannable DED Loki fit), hacking strength, and most importantly — D-scan range. Thanks to a 100% burst duration bonus, you can pop the buff, empower your fleet, and fade again. With my skills, duration looks to be around three minutes.
Extra bonuses also come from weather effects in landmark systems, metaliminal storms, wormholes, and sovereignty upgrades — though I don’t yet know the exact amplification values.
CPU is tight, considering how much you can plug in — bottlenecks are inevitable, it probably gonna be a true fitting challenge. The analyzer range bonus is odd: up to 15km on T2 versions, but you still need <2500m to loot containers. Maybe useful for ghost sites? Share your guesses in the comments.
And then there’s the cost. Not just the release spike, but the baseline: 250k SOE loyalty points and 250 million ISK for BPC, plus another 250k LP and 250 million ISK for construction parts, plus ~400 million in minerals. Way too much for a battlecruiser!
Still, I’m going to get one eventually. Beyond the stats, the ship’s look is astonishing. Like it or not, a model with animation is always nice. Sadly, you won’t see it often — most of the time you’ll be cloaked up with covops active.
Grab Omega for Free and Get 530,000 SP
Before you go, there’s a bonus waiting in the NES store. You can grab 7 days of Omega (premium time) for just 10 PLEX. And if you’re already Omega, you’ll get those 10 PLEX for free.
But don’t rush to accept the offer. If you want to maximize your daily campaign rewards, hold it until November 26. The promotion runs until November 27, and by timing it right you can proactively claim all 14 days of Omega daily login bonuses — totaling 530,000 SP plus extras like ship paints.
If you don’t have 10 PLEX, just pick them up off the market for ISK, or message me here or ingame (Melamori) and I can share some with you — you can return them later.
And if you’re new to EVE or a returning player, make sure to check my guide on how to get another 1 million SP for free. It works on any account, even those created back in 2003.
Prepare to Undock
That’s pretty much my overview of the new EVE Online Catalyst expansion. I hope you found it handy. As always, you can support me via Ko-fi or simply pass the news along to your friends.
Meanwhile, what’s your favorite part of the expansion? Are you planning to train mining skills and finally dive into industry? Or maybe you’ve already set your autopilot to Lanngisi to farm SOE LPs? Share your thoughts — I’d love to hear them.
Now go crit those rocks, o7
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