Frontier announced updated pricing for early access to large ships like the Panther Clipper M2, which launches on July 22nd, alongside new ship releases and a significant 3.4 update revamping Power Play with dynamic weekly decay and a unique three-way community goal featuring mega ship battles. These changes aim to create a more engaging, fluid gameplay experience while supporting Frontier’s sustainable business model and ongoing content expansion for Elite Dangerous.
In this week’s Elite Dangerous update, Frontier announced new pricing for early access to large ships, such as the upcoming Panther Clipper M2. The cost for unlocking these large vessels has increased slightly compared to small and medium-class ships, with standard editions now costing 19,020 arcs and stellar editions 38,000 arcs. While the price hike was expected and met with muted community reaction, the announcement also hinted at more large ships arriving later this year. Frontier emphasized their commitment to creating a sustainable business model to support ongoing meaningful updates and content for the game.
The medium-class Gutamaya Corsair, which entered early access in April, has now fully exited this phase and is available for free using in-game credits. The Panther Clipper M2 is set to enter early access on July 22nd, with two more ships and an unannounced feature planned for release later in the year. Alongside these ship updates, Frontier released the Trailblazers 3.4 server-side update, which, despite its name, focuses less on colonization and more on significant changes to Power Play and the introduction of a new style of community goal.
Power Play has been revamped to encourage more dynamic and aggressive gameplay. One major change is the introduction of weekly decay in control scores for systems, which prevents static borders by making neglected systems more vulnerable to attack. This decay reduces control scores down to a minimum of 25%, promoting ongoing conflict and fluidity in territorial control. The update aims to make the Power Play experience more engaging, though individual players may still vary in how much they care about the broader galactic map versus their personal progression.
The new community goal introduced with the 3.4 update represents a three-way conflict involving two rival commanders, Lee Yong Rui and Jerome Archer, attacking Imperial forces led by Ashling Duval. This CG is unique in that players can pledge to any of the three sides and participate in space-based conflict zones featuring mega ships, including Black Ops vessels. Participants earn power play merits regardless of their allegiance, and the goal offers valuable pre-engineered weapons and credits as rewards. This dynamic and multi-faction CG is designed to actively influence the galactic power balance over its two-week duration.
Overall, the update reflects Frontier’s ongoing efforts to keep Elite Dangerous fresh and engaging by evolving core gameplay systems like Power Play and community goals. The introduction of new ships, pricing adjustments, and the innovative CG format all signal a commitment to long-term support and content expansion. Players are encouraged to dive into the new Power Play challenges and consider acquiring the latest ships to enhance their experience in the evolving galaxy.