The video outlines the upcoming colonization update for Elite Dangerous, enabling players to own and control star systems through a player-guided base-building mechanic. Set to enter beta in early 2025, this major update allows players to expand human space by purchasing claims, deploying colonization beacons, and constructing facilities, fundamentally reshaping gameplay and emphasizing player-driven content.
The video discusses the upcoming colonization update for Elite Dangerous, which will allow players to own and control star systems, a significant change for the game. The update will be in beta early next year and is touted as one of the largest updates in the game’s history. It introduces player-guided base building, enabling players to expand the inhabited bubble of human space by colonizing new systems and constructing facilities. The developers aim to emphasize player-driven content, allowing them to shape the galaxy according to their narratives and goals.
To begin the colonization process, players must purchase a claim from a new system contact found in inhabited systems. Claims can be made on uninhabited systems within approximately 10 light years of the current system, with only one claim allowed at a time to prevent system blocking. After purchasing a claim, players have 24 hours to deploy a colonization beacon in the new system. Once the beacon is deployed, a massive colonization ship arrives, and players must deliver materials to construct a primary starport within a specific timeframe to proceed.
The starport will initially appear in an under-construction phase, reminiscent of early promotional materials for the game. After a designated period, the starport will become fully operational, and players can then expand further by making additional claims from the newly established system. The player who deploys the primary starport becomes the system architect, gaining control over the development of the system and the facilities that can be built.
Facilities will be tiered, requiring smaller installations to be constructed before larger ones. Players can develop both space-based and planetary facilities by selecting deployment locations and orientations. The economic and security dynamics of the system will be influenced by the types of facilities built, with options to enhance mining economies, agricultural output, and even create anarchy systems. The colonization process will also interact with existing game elements, including power play and the background simulation (BGS), allowing for player influence over new systems.
The developers plan to launch the colonization feature into beta in early 2025 to gather player feedback and fine-tune mechanics. They aim to strike a balance between making the process engaging without excessive grind. While specific details on costs and material requirements are not yet available, the developers are committed to adjusting these elements based on player data during the beta phase. Overall, the colonization update promises to fundamentally reshape gameplay in Elite Dangerous, offering players unprecedented control over their own star systems.