Google DeepMind acquires minority stake in Fenris Creations to train AI on Eve Online
DeepMind aims to study player behaviour and long-term planning on isolated servers while the developer explores new gameplay experiences enabled by the partnership.
Google DeepMind has secured a minority stake in Fenris Creations, the developer formerly known as CCP Games, in a deal valued in the millions of dollars. The transaction marks a significant shift for the studio, which recently rebranded following its acquisition of the rights to the space-based massively multiplayer online game Eve Online from Korean developer Pearl Abyss.
The primary objective of the partnership is to grant DeepMind access to the game's extensive data for training artificial intelligence models. The lab intends to utilise this unique dataset to analyse complex player behaviour, long-term planning capabilities, and social simulation dynamics that have eluded other systems. According to DeepMind CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, the investment is designed to tackle what he describes as the final boss for AI in gaming.
Pétursson noted that Eve Online offers an unprecedented degree of choice for players navigating the game world, making it a rich source of data for understanding human society and the human condition. To mitigate the risks associated with the game's complexity, DeepMind plans to initially study player behaviour on isolated servers. This cautious approach addresses specific hurdles such as continual learning and advanced planning strategies that current AI models have not yet fully mastered.
In exchange for the data access and financial investment, the two companies have committed to exploring new gameplay experiences enabled by these emerging technologies. However, the specific nature and scope of these future features remain incredibly vague at this stage. This collaboration follows a history of Google's AI lab training its technology on various other titles, ranging from arcade classics to StarCraft II.
Fenris Creations continues to develop and maintain several titles within the Eve universe alongside this strategic pivot. These include the upcoming first-person shooter spinoff Eve Vanguard and the recently launched mobile title Eve Galaxy Conquest. The studio is also working on the blockchain-based project Eve Frontier, formerly known as Project Awakening, though the future viability of this specific title remains uncertain.
