Frontier has announced the cancellation of all console development for Elite Dangerous, including the recently released Odyssey expansion. While critical updates will still be provided, there will be no future additional content for console players, leaving many disappointed and uncertain about the game’s future.
In a recent update, Frontier announced that they have made the difficult decision to cancel all console development for Elite Dangerous, including the recently released Odyssey expansion. While they will continue to support the console versions with critical updates, there will be no future additional content. This news comes as a disappointment to console players who were eagerly anticipating new updates and content. Many had speculated about this possibility considering the ongoing struggles with Odyssey’s development on consoles. The decision was made with the long-term future of Elite Dangerous in mind.
Frontier’s CEO, David Braben, explained in a forum post that the decision was made due to the need to focus on a single code base for the game’s story to progress. He acknowledged that the launch of Odyssey had its issues and mentioned that improvements have been made on the PC version since then. However, there was no specific explanation for the cancellation of console development or an acknowledgement of the long wait that console players endured.
It remains unclear how Frontier will handle Elite Dangerous Horizons on PC, as Braben’s message suggests that it will receive only critical updates, similar to the console versions. However, it could also mean that Frontier has found a way to merge the player bases of Odyssey and Horizons. More details may be released in the future.
Despite the disappointment, there is a glimmer of hope for PC players, as Braben mentioned wanting to move forward with the game’s story and hinted at the possibility of ground combat with Thargoids and the introduction of a Thargoid mothership. However, the cancellation of console development means that a significant portion of the player base may be lost, and the question of account transfers from console to PC remains unanswered.
Overall, while not entirely surprising, the cancellation of console development for Elite Dangerous is a major blow to console players who have invested time and energy into the game. Frontier’s decision to prioritize a unified code base for the game’s story arc raises questions about the future direction of the game for all players.