The overall Incarna feature revolves around allowing players to leave their pods and walk around in their station HQ. Currently 'face to face' interactions with other pilots is not possible. This feature has been in development for the majority of the life of Eve.

In the initial Incarna release all Captains Quarters were of Minmatar design. The captain's quarters are a private single player environment to introduce players to Incarna. As with the previous expansion (Incursion) this expansion will follow a segmented roll out. This allows for testing of each major feature under the stress of the live server separately.

Incarna also included a major visual revamp of all turrets, mining lasers, tractor beams and salvagers design and animation (including the firing animation).[48]

One of Incarna's changes, the introduction of the "Noble Exchange" (NeX) as an in-game market allowing players to buy vanity items, received negative reaction from players and prompted in-game riots.[49][50]

Other changes include:
- New design for the Maller hull, an Amarr cruiser size ship.
- Change of jumpbridge mechanics to a limit of one jumpbridge per system but in return a fuel bay increase to 30,000m3 from the original 10,000m3.