CCP’s most recent venture into the microtransaction marketplace has been received very well, at least by EVE standards. The SKINS venture has seen rapid growth in the number of options available since its introduction. Almost all tech one variations of ships have a SKIN option, with a handful of tech two SKINs now offered as well. While this is certainly not quite as exciting as the bug when they were introduced, the wealth of colors for every race continues to grow. Case in point, a new series of SKINs will be released for Caldari and Minmitar ships alongside matching clothes: for those occasions when your ship and your character just have to match!
Wyvern in “Raata Sunset”
These new SKINs are the first in a series of so-called Designer SKINs with a lore explanation and author character for each of the designs. According to CCP Legion, these SKINs are being released to the Caldari and Minmitar first so as to make up for a shortfall in SKIN options. While they are limited to Caldari and Minmitar vessels for now, CCP Legion promises that there will be a variety of SKINs for all four races by the end of the year. The first of the designs will be the “Raata Sunset” by Eliina Kariopka, as seen above, and will be a Caldari exclusive for the time being. It will be expanded to the Amarr line at a later date, and features a crimson base with white accents, providing a stark contrast to Caldari’s standard cool grey and blue. Presumably, the Valklear Glory will follow Raata Sunset and appears to be a Minmatar exclusive. Valklear Glory has an almost ORE-like color scheme, with bright yellow and dull greys covering the rusted hulls of the Minmatar. The last designer SKIN show was the Blue Tiger, which sports bold blue and gold colorings. The Blue Tiger has both Caldari and Minmatar ships displayed, but there is no word on whether both races will receive it a the same time.
Significantly less rusty, the Minmatar Ragnarok in a “Valklear Glory” SKIN
Stabber in the “Blue Tiger” collection
The most significant part of these new SKINs, aside from being for the Caldari and Minmatar, are the inclusion of matching character outfits for the fashion-conscious capsuleers. This new line of capsuleer clothing, dubbed the Hephaestus Industrial Outfits, brings together these two types of cosmetic items in a very unique and relatable way. Also included is a brief story, for those conscious of lore as well as fashion. Expect to see these arrive with their respective SKINs.
These outfits will also be available for female characters.
It will be interesting to see how these cross over items fare with players who have only ventured into SKINs or clothing. Given the rate that CCP is turning out new cosmetic content, the SKIN feature must be doing well. Still, being able to share your favorite designer or flaunt your matching outfit might be more enticing if one could venture outside the confines of your Captain’s Quarters. With a renewed focus on docked behavior, perhaps CCP will give this maligned feature a second pass.
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Set’s Chaos.
