EVE History Exhibit
Reykjavík, Iceland
At EVE Fanfest 2026, Gagarín created an interactive installation that transformed the history of EVE Online into a tactile, shared experience.
Developed for Fenris Creation (former CCP Games), the EVE History Exhibit reimagined an earlier printed installation about the game’s player-driven universe and the stories of its Capsuleers. Rather than presenting history as static information, the new installation invited visitors to engage with it physically.
Bringing 20 years of a virtual universe into the physical world. The exhibit was conceived as a continuous, dark-ambient journey that mirrors the sleek, high-tech aesthetic of the game itself.
Each capsule represents a specific year in EVE’s history. By placing it into the interactive station, visitors unlock moments, conflicts, alliances and stories shaped by the community itself.
At the centre of the experience were capsules engraved with all the years of EVE’s history, from the beginning. Visitors placed a capsule into one of the interactive stations. As the station illuminated and “charged” with dynamic lighting, the selected chapter of EVE’s history came alive on a large-scale screen. By turning a physical dial, guests could navigate through pivotal moments, shifting alliances, major wars, and defining milestones from more than two decades of the game’s evolving universe.
The interactive timeline and the 3D ship viewer are amazing. It’s one thing to see these ships on your monitor at home, but interacting with them in this space is a whole new experience. Longtime EVE Online Player
What began as a printed retrospective evolved into a tactile, interactive experience where visitors physically engage with the history of EVE Online and its player-driven universe.
Early mood and experience sketches developed at the start of the project, helping align the team around a shared vision for the installation.
Each capsule represents a specific year in EVE’s history. By placing it into the interactive station, visitors unlock moments, conflicts, alliances and stories shaped by the community itself. Gagarin Design Team
Installed as the centrepiece of Silfurberg at Harpa Concert Hall, the exhibition became a social focal point during the four-day festival, experienced by more than 3,000 attendees from around the world. The project combined physical interaction, scenographic lighting, industrial object design, and digital storytelling into a shared ritual of remembering, allowing players to reconnect with the history they helped create.
A Scalable and Adaptable Concept
The entire installation is designed with flexibility in mind. The modular setup makes it easy to adapt to different spaces and themes, whether as a permanent installation or a scaled-down touring version tailored for international conferences and events.
Gagarín worked in close collaboration with Járnsmiðja Óðins, who fabricated the interactive stations and capsules for the installation.