EVE Online's new 'Fleet Up' tool makes it easier to jump into galactic battles

We do love a good EVE Online fleet battle, don't we? But until now, getting into formation has been a bit of a faff, requiring you to know the right people and setting aside an afternoon days in advance. That changes with today's addition of a Fleet Up tool, letting you instantly find a flotilla to ride alongside.

The Fleet Discovery update effectively adds a party browser to CCP's interstellar MMO, letting you browse for fleets to pursue whatever role you fancy. Fleets can be designated for a range of exploration, combat or mining activities, with Fleet Commanders free to set limitations on skill caps, standings, and mark whether this particular venture is new player friendly.

As a lapsed EVE player, it's a very welcome addition. There's a magic to the game's slow, considered fleet movements that I adored, but rarely experienced due to the hassles of having to coordinate corp members. Frankly, EVE has long needed a shortcut to 'the good bits'.

Today's update isn't all about fleets, though—home stations now have a handy icon on your galactic map, and the cost of setting a station as your permanent pad has been removed. The jump tunnel visuals have also been tightened up with some neat effects, while a number of smaller tweaks and bug fixes can be found over on the 19.01 patch notes.

Fleet Discovery kicks off EVE's Reign Quadrant, the first of this year's update seasons. Where previous quadrants looked at alien invasions and hiding smaller ships inside bigger ships, Reign is all about managing massive armadas—with one future update set to let FCs adjust the formation of their fleets.

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.