Last summer, EVE Online suffered a sudden all-out alien invasion. Player alliances were forced to stop what they were doing and even cancel ongoing wars in order to protect their starbases from the overwhelming attack, which lasted for days. This was a dramatic turn in the epic story that developer CCP Games has been gradually unveiling over the past year, in which multiple alien factions are trying to take a piece of EVE Online's virtual galaxy for themselves. And as of today, players can now choose which side they want to fight for.

Today, CCP Games announced the third and final chapter of EVE Online's Invasion Expansion.

While it is not yet clear how the update will unfold, and suspense and mystery play an important role in keeping players on their toes, the final act of Invasion will introduce two new factions, to which players will belong: 1. The first new faction is Edencom, which represents the Allied Forces of the Human Empire with which players have traditionally been allied since EVE launched 17 years ago. The other new faction is the alien Triglavian group.

By participating in ongoing skirmishes in various sectors of EVE Online, players can build their reputations with these factions and earn new rewards. a new video from EVE Online's fictional news organization, The Scope, shows the ongoing war The Scope suggests that the next phase will see both sides unveiling new weapons and defensive measures.

But what we can really expect is for EVE Online to permanently shake up the galaxy, and while CCP Games has not said exactly what will happen next, it promises an epic conclusion sometime after this summer. Creative Director Bergur Finnbogason said, "At the core of EVE Online is a universe where actions have consequences, and this year the consequences of the Invasion storyline will have a deep and lasting impact on players. Players will have to choose carefully."

The final act of EVE Online's Invasion expansion launches today and is free to play. To participate, download EVE Online here.