The Move to Python 3 Begins

EVE Online, a massive online game, relies heavily on Python code to run its servers. For over two decades, the game has operated on Python 2.7, which reached end of life in 2020. Now, the developers are beginning the transition to Python 3, which promises better performance, new features, and a faster gaming experience. This transition is crucial because Python 3 has introduced significant improvements, such as faster speed, consistent string handling, and larger integer values.

The game's developers have already tested some of the initial steps on Singularity, a testing environment, and those changes are now live. However, the migration to Python 3 is a massive undertaking, involving the rewriting of 2.4 million lines of code. The developers are using tools like Python-Future to automate the process, but they also need human input to handle differences in how the code behaves between Python 2 and Python 3.

The first stage of the migration has been completed, making the code Python 3-ready while still running on Python 2.7. The next stage will focus on resolving any differences in how the code behaves between the two versions. The developers are seeking player help during this process, allowing players to test the updated system during key milestones.