The largest expansion for EVE Online in the last few years has finally received a tentative release date. The EVE Updates page today shows the long awaited expansion 'Citadel' will be released shortly after EVE Fanfest on April 27th.
This expansion marks the penultimate step in the EVE Online Roadmap that was unveiled by CCP Seagull in 2014. A journey more than two years in development with some 27 'mini' expansions paving the way that was all stated in November 2013 with Rubicon.
[caption id="attachment_1734" align="aligncenter" width="990"] Roadmap from EVE Vegas 2014[/caption]
Looking back over the last two years EVE has had some major changes, some controversial (Jump Fatigue, Aegis Sov) others well received (SKINS, Skill Injector). Indeed EVE is almost an entirely different game.
So what can we look forward to in the most anticipated EVE expansion for over two years?
Naturally the titular feature, the Citadels, massive player-created cities in space, dwarfing pretty much any other object currently available, even massive Titans pale in comparison to these behemoths. These new structures include Astrahus (Medium), Fortizar, (Large) and Keepstar (Extra Large). The largest of which introduces something that many super capital owners have desired for many years, the ability to dock.
You can see an early look at these huge structures which were previewed during a test on the Duality test server which was recorded by General StarGazer from Crossing Zebras.

But in comparison to current starbases and outposts, these huge structures are no pushovers, they bristle with defences that would easily put them on parr, if not more so, with a Titan's firepower.
The cost to construct a citadel can range from 700 million to over 120 billion depending on the size of the citadels and its amenities.
You can see more from the EVE Vegas keynote from 2015.

But that is not all, because Citadels represent a huge shift in how players will build their infrastructure. So the weapons with which to bring them down, Capitals also need to change. Capital ships have long been the ultimate goal of many EVE Veterans, particularly when it comes to Super Carriers and Titans. These behemoths have often represented the final word in New Eden and have formed the back bone of of every major Alliances forces. They have been long overdue for a revamp.
Many of the improvements include:-
Fleet and Ship hangars added to Dreadnoughts
New modules and weapons for all capitals
Unique e-war abilities for Super-Carriers
Improvements to Dreadnoughts and their armaments
New Doomsday weapons for Titans
Brand new Fighter with new abilities such as squadron-slaying missile swarms, evasive maneuvers, and capital-pounding torpedoes
Brand new Fighter controls and user interface
And finally, the separation of the Carrier and Triage roles with the introduction of Force Auxiliaries
But what of the future? We know that Citadels represent the first in a series of new structures which will probably include Mining Platforms, Factory Stations, and Research Laboratories. All of this leading up to the final part of the road map that was set out back in 2014 - Stargates.
Who knows where this final chapter will lead us in EVE, but maybe we will get our first sneak peeks at Fanfest. For those of you who are going to Fanfest this year there will be something to look forward too on your return home! Personally I have booked the week off after Fanfest for what will probably be some well needed 'Recovery' time.