EVE Online Carbon Engine Goes Open Source Following Godot Principles

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By Gaming News
6 July 2026 no comments
Fenris Creations has officially released the Carbon Engine into open source on GitHub
Key Takeaways
  • Carbon Engine Goes Open Source: Fenris Creations has officially released its proprietary Carbon Engine repository on GitHub under the permissive MIT license.
  • Powering the EVE Universe: The 23-year-old technology forms the architectural foundation for both EVE Online and the upcoming survival game EVE Frontier.
  • Community Governance: The studio is transitioning to an open-development model inspired by the Godot Engine, incorporating security pull requests and strict disclosure guidelines for AI-generated code.

Why Did Fenris Creations Open-Source the Carbon Engine?

The decision to open-source the Carbon Engine centers on community trust and building a collaborative development environment. Ben Hunter, Fenris’ senior development director for core technology, confirmed that exposing the codebase allows developers to inspect it, learn from it, and contribute architectural improvements.

The Icelandic developer has a long history of community integration. Exposing the application programming interface (API) in the early days of EVE Online sparked a massive wave of third-party tools.

Now, as shared in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz Fenris believes the core engine technology itself is better served by having more eyes on it, encouraging users to build within the EVE ecosystem.


What Are the Licensing Terms for the Carbon Engine?

The Carbon Engine is primarily available under the MIT License, which is highly permissive and allows developers to use the technology for commercial purposes without paying royalties. Only two specific modules feature different terms: spatial audio clustering uses Apache License 2.0, and IO relies on a Python Software Foundation License.

This level of accessibility means external developers can theoretically build an entirely new MMO from scratch. They can even fork the official GitHub repository to create custom versions, similar to Linux distributions.

Because the MIT license carries no commercial restrictions, Fenris is prioritizing community engagement over direct monetization of its legacy technology.


Security Protocols and the New Era of Development

Opening a 23-year-old engine to the public inherently invites heavy security scrutiny. However, the engine’s networking layer has been rigorously battle-hardened over two decades of massive fleet fights in EVE Online.

Allowing third-party developers to submit security-related pull requests actually helps the studio close potential vulnerabilities faster. The studio is also preparing for the future of game development workflows.

Fenris requires contributors to disclose when Large Language Models (LLMs) are used to generate code, ensuring those submissions receive appropriate scrutiny. This mirrors wider industry shifts, as other major engines reorganize their foundations to accommodate AI integration.

Also, learn more about EVE Online’s new Safe Zone!


The Future of EVE and the Modding Community

While the core game economy of EVE Online remains securely closed off, the external tools to build around it are expanding rapidly. The studio aims to create a robust plugin architecture, taking direct governance advice from the team behind the open-source Godot Engine.

As EVE Frontier pushes toward a builder-focused survival experience, the open-source Carbon Engine serves as a foundational tool.

Over the next few years, Fenris expects a dedicated, self-sustaining community to build infrastructure, applications, and entirely new experiences around the EVE universe.

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A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news !

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