Python Mk II & Updates To The Gamestore

Greetings Commanders,

3310 is a busy year for Elite Dangerous, with three Titans down already, Powerplay 2.0 in the works, four new ship variants on their way AND the other new feature we have not shared with you yet.

This year will also see us celebrate our 10-year anniversary - the love and support you have shown us over the years has been nothing short of incredible, and we want to share with you some other changes coming this year.

Gameplay Additions and Changes

We are excited to share more on Powerplay 2.0 over the coming months as we get closer to Update 19. We are confident the rework of this feature will not only allow players to pledge, engage with, and support their chosen power, but also visually see the impact their efforts have on the galactic landscape.

In addition, we will also be making some balancing changes to Engineering. Our focus will be on making Engineering more accessible and predictable, allowing you to focus on your ship build rather than the materials needed. As stated in the past, we also have another brand-new feature coming to Elite Dangerous later this year.

Gamestore and Pricing

Over the past few years, many of you have identified that the store has become hard to navigate and that it is difficult to find the content that you really want, with this in mind we will be refreshing the store to provide a better experience for our players.

Starting in May 2024, you will notice a change in how we approach the gamestore – which will also include ARX pricing adjustments for some of our cosmetic items, alongside new product types which are detailed below. Players will continue to be able to earn ARX in-game by playing Elite Dangerous daily, or by contributing to events in game.

Ship Variants

We are excited to bring ship variants into Elite throughout the year and are looking forward to seeing how you make use of each one. Starting with the Python Mk II, we are pleased to announce that this will be available in game for Odyssey players on 7 August for credits at Shipyards across the galaxy.

However, if you cannot wait until then you can get 3-month early access to this ship on 7 May from the store for 16250 ARX.

Non-Odyssey owners will be able access ship variants from the store for ARX.

Pre-built Ships

We’re also going to be introducing a new category in the Elite Dangerous gamestore: Pre-built Ships. Pre-Built Ship packages will offer Commanders the opportunity to purchase ships that have been given a significant upgrade from their base models.

We envision these Pre-built Ships to be a quicker way for newer players to get involved in the areas they have the most interest in, or for our existing players who are considering a new career path in game, but do not have time to devote to a new build from scratch.

A ‘Pre-built’ ship package will include instant-access to a pre-fitted ship, a ship kit, and a paintjob – and will typically be themed to match an activity within the game. For example, if you’re looking to jump into the current AX conflict against the Titans, the AX Combat Jumpstart package will give instant access to an Alliance Chieftain with all the necessary modules to go straight into the action within the maelstrom.

The Python Mk II will also launch with a Pre-built Ship package, allowing you to kickstart your career in the latest ship, including a brand-new paintjob and ship kit.

Cosmetic Items

A ‘Best Sellers’ section will be added to the gamestore, including some of our most popular items, allowing Commanders to purchase items such as Midnight Black, Stygian and Chromed all year round. We will continue to add to the store throughout the year with that same focus on items that players care about the most.

We’re excited to roll out Powerplay 2.0 and the Python Mk II, and we’ll have more to show regarding Engineering and the brand-new feature coming later this year in future Frontier Unlocked livestreams. 

o7

Arf