In the latest Witch Base News, Commander Burr discusses the Distant Worlds 3 colonization initiative, which aims to establish a colony site in deep space, and highlights the rapid expansion of the game’s galaxy following the Trailblazers update, leading to technical issues during server maintenance. The community is encouraged to share their experiences with the new colonization economy as players navigate the complexities of establishing functioning economies in newly built colonies.
In the latest edition of Witch Base News, Commander Burr discusses several significant updates in the Elite Dangerous universe as of March 21, 2025. One of the major announcements is the Distant Worlds 3 colonization initiative, which aims to establish a colony site in deep space as a departure point for the upcoming expedition slated for early next year. This initiative will involve constructing a chain of outposts from occupied space to the Orion Molecular Complex, with the first event starting on March 30, 2025. Interested players can sign up for this venture called “the shoulder of Orion.”
The video highlights the rapid expansion of the game’s galaxy following the introduction of the Trailblazers update, which reactivated the colonization process. The galaxy’s “bubble” has transformed into a sprawling, octopus-like structure, with players colonizing thousands of systems in a short time. Notably, colonization threads are extending far beyond traditional boundaries, reaching areas previously considered uncontested by the Thargoids. This expansion has resulted in a significant increase in both the density and complexity of the game’s background simulation systems.
However, this rapid growth has led to some technical issues, particularly during the weekly server maintenance. The increased number of newly built stations and faction activities has caused delays in the server tick process, prompting Frontier Developments to cut maintenance mid-cycle to bring the game back online. As a result, many newly completed starports did not activate as expected, leading to concerns about future server downtimes as the number of new stations continues to grow.
Community reactions to the colonization economy’s implementation have been mixed, with players expressing confusion over how to construct functioning economies in newly established colonies. The available in-game information is fragmented across multiple sources, making it challenging for players to understand the economic implications of their decisions. Many players are calling for an “undo” button to allow for the recycling of facilities that do not yield the desired outcomes, though this could complicate the already intricate background simulation.
Lastly, the video reminds viewers of the upcoming Frontier Unlocked live stream, where more information about the new Gutamaya Corsair medium-class vessel is expected to be revealed. The community is encouraged to share their experiences and strategies regarding the colonization process and system economy planning in the comments section. Overall, the video underscores the excitement and challenges of the ongoing updates in Elite Dangerous, as players navigate the complexities of colonization and expansion in the galaxy.