Pearl Abyss sells CCP Games back to its CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson for $100 million in cash and $20 million in 'token acquisition rights'. Crimson Desert developer to part ways with the creator of EVE Online, which has a blockchain-based spin-off in development.
Pearl Abyss, the Korean developer behind Crimson Desert, has sold CCP Games back to its CEO for $100 million in cash and $20 million in crypto. This move comes eight years after Pearl Abyss initially bought CCP Games for $225 million in cash plus $200 million in performance-related payouts. The sale was reported by Korean outlet Digital Today.
The $20 million in 'token acquisition rights' is believed to be related to CCP's blockchain-based survival game, Eve Frontier, which raised $40 million in 2023. The game is currently in pre-release for those who purchase Founder Access, with its Terms of Service mentioning 'on-chain' tokens termed 'Alpha Tokens'. CCP has stated that this change in ownership will not affect its teams, products, or development plans.
Pearl Abyss explained that the decision to sell CCP Games back to its CEO was based on long-term growth strategies. The company stated that the price was determined after considering CCP Games' current business structure and market conditions. CCP Games, known for Eve Online, had previously cancelled two shooter spin-offs and is now focusing on its extraction shooter Vanguard, set to launch later this year after a public trial in October 2025.
