EVE Online: Rubicon announced, CCP want to give players more power over New Eden than ever before

CCP have announced the 20th free expansion for the jerk-filled MMO sandbox EVE Online.

MMO sandbox EVE Online. It's called Rubicon, and it won't just be the usual round-up of new features and balance tweaks. Instead, according to senior producer Andie "CCP Seagull" Nordgren, it marks the first step in a plan to give players "more power over this universe than ever before".

"We are on a long term plan to deliver on what we imagine for EVE Online and New Eden," Nordgren said. "With Rubicon we continue our efforts to improve and balance the game, to support our player community, and give you the unique sandbox science fiction experience that EVE Online provides."

In Rubicon, that will mean a number of ways in which players can break free from the Empire. That includes taking control of Hi-Sec Customs Offices, giving players the chance to tax the flow of resources being harvested, and the ability to deploy temporary mobile structures, "to support your industrial operations and wartime efforts". The combat system will also be tweaked, to allow for guerilla tactics against even the biggest strongholds.

You can find more details on the EVE Online: Rubicon microsite, or watch the hour-long announcement stream below. Rubicon is due out November 19th.