Is Elite Dangerous worth playing now for new and returning players?

Part of our guide on alternative tank games to world of tanks

Clear insights on Elite Dangerous gameplay, difficulty, updates, and player activity help you decide if it fits your gaming style now.

What is Elite Dangerous gameplay

Elite Dangerous is a space flight simulator set in a realistic Milky Way galaxy. You pilot a spaceship, looking at stars, planets, and space stations.

Gameplay mixes open-world exploration, trading goods, mining, combat, and story missions. You choose your path and career in a shared online universe.

Each star system has its own economy and factions affecting prices and missions. Flying between star systems requires planning fuel and navigation.

No fixed storyline forces you to create your own goals. This freedom appeals to players who enjoy sandbox experiences and player-driven economies. The other half of this decision is playing together on one ps5 console.

Ships in Elite Dangerous come in many classes, from small scouts to massive capital ships. Each has different speed, cargo capacity, and combat strength. Choosing the right ship for your goal matters. For example, a Cobra Mk III is a popular starter ship because it balances speed, cargo space, and firepower.

The game also simulates realistic space phenomena like black holes, nebulae, and asteroid belts. Navigating near these features requires skill and can yield rare resources or dangerous encounters. Exploration missions often reward players with credits and unique discoveries, encouraging longer trips far from inhabited systems.

Is Elite Dangerous difficult to learn and play

The game has a steep learning curve. Controls and flight physics mimic real-space flight with inertia and no shortcuts. If that sounds like your situation, read up on world of tanks for beginners next.

New players often spend 10-20 hours just mastering basic flight, docking, and navigation. The extensive user interface takes time to understand.

Missions and trading require knowledge of star maps and faction systems. Failure often leads to losing credits or your ship, adding tension.

However, tutorials and community guides help flatten the curve. Patience pays off as skills grow and new content opens up. It helps to understand is world of tanks good before going further.

The flight model uses Newtonian physics but applies some game-friendly adjustments to keep controls manageable. For instance, while inertia affects movement, thrusters allow you to counter drift and rotate quickly. This system takes time to master but offers greater depth than typical arcade space games.

New players often struggle with station docking, a delicate procedure with tight time limits. Missing a docking request can delay missions or cost fines. Practicing docking in quieter stations or using the game's training mode helps build confidence before entering busy hubs.

Some advanced gameplay elements, like engineering upgrades and multicrew ships, add complexity. Engineering requires gathering materials and blueprints to enhance ship performance. Multicrew mode lets friends join your ship to help with piloting or weapon systems, expanding social play options.

Is the game still updated

Elite Dangerous receives regular updates, usually a few times a year. These add new ships, gameplay features, and quality-of-life improvements.

Developers continue fixing bugs and expanding story-driven content through episodic additions. Community events and challenges keep players engaged.

Updates often balance gameplay mechanics and add new missions, keeping the universe dynamic and fresh for veterans and newcomers alike.

Despite being released in 2014, the game maintains steady developer support, making it a living game rather than a finished product.

The developers also introduce seasonal story arcs that affect galaxy-wide events like faction wars or alien encounters. These storylines unfold over months and create changing political landscapes you can influence. Such dynamic content keeps the universe feeling alive and unpredictable.

Quality-of-life updates include improved UI layouts, controller support enhancements, and faster load times. These changes respond to community feedback and lower barriers for new players. For example, a recent update refined the galaxy map interface to make plotting trade routes easier.

The game occasionally adds new types of ships and modules, expanding customization. For instance, the addition of experimental weapons gives combat pilots new tactical options. These updates ensure that even veteran players find fresh challenges and goals.

Is it worth buying Elite Dangerous today

If you like immersive space sims and have time for a steep learning curve, Elite Dangerous is worth buying today. Its open-world scope is unmatched.

The game's ongoing updates and active player community add long-term value. You get a constantly evolving universe for your investment.

Players seeking quick action or story may find it slow or frustrating. The grind for credits and mastering controls can be off-putting.

Consider your platform: PC players often experience a larger, more active community than consoles, affecting multiplayer enjoyment.

Elite Dangerous often goes on sale, making it more affordable for newcomers wanting to try it. Base game prices have dropped below $30 during sales, a good deal for the amount of content offered.

If you have a VR headset, the game offers an immersive experience worth the investment. VR lets you look around the cockpit naturally and judge distances better when docking or dogfighting.

Some players find the initial grind tedious but appreciate the payoff later. For example, trading routes become more profitable once you unlock larger cargo ships. You might start with small hauls of 5-10 tons and work up to ships carrying hundreds of tons of goods.

What are the main activities like trading and salvaging

Trading involves buying goods low and selling high between star systems. Prices vary based on supply, demand, and faction control.

Salvaging means scanning wreckage or derelict ships to collect materials. This requires special equipment fitted to your ship.

Combat missions let you engage pirates or rival factions, rewarding bounties and reputation. Combat can be challenging and tactically deep.

Mining collects valuable ores from asteroids using laser equipment. It’s slower but profitable and less risky than combat.

Trading is influenced by fluctuating market prices that can change hourly in the game. Smart traders monitor these changes and use third-party tools to maximize profits. For instance, buying palladium at a low price in one system and selling it high in another can yield thousands of credits per run.

Salvaging also involves risk, as wreck sites may be guarded by hostile NPCs or located in hazardous environments like asteroid fields. Properly outfitting your ship with shield upgrades and weapons is essential before attempting this activity.

Combat missions vary in difficulty and objectives. Some require escorting trade ships, others involve bounty hunting or clearing enemy outposts. Combat tactics include using heat sinks to manage weapon overheating and silent running to avoid scanners.

Mining requires patience and precision. Mining lasers break apart asteroids, releasing fragments you scoop up. Elite miners invest in specialized equipment like seismic charges to break large rocks for rare minerals. Mining can be surprisingly lucrative when targeting high-value ores like Painite or Low Temperature Diamonds.

• Trading: profit by route planning and market knowledge
• Salvaging: needs scanner upgrades and patience
• Combat: requires piloting skill and ship upgrades
• Mining: steady income with moderate risk

Is the player base still active

The player base remains active, especially on PC where large player factions and alliances exist. Console communities are smaller but steady.

Peak concurrency numbers vary but usually number in thousands on PC, enough to find interaction regularly.

Multiplayer interaction ranges from cooperative missions to competitive PvP and large-scale faction wars.

Some players report fewer social hubs and long travel times between encounters, meaning solo play remains common.

Some community-run events bring players together, such as races or cooperative exploration efforts. These events may last days or weeks and encourage teamwork and competition.

The game supports voice communication and text chat, enabling players to coordinate in real-time. Player groups organize convoys for safety on dangerous routes or joint missions against powerful enemies.

Player-created content like guides, videos, and forums enriches the experience and helps newcomers get started. Popular forums can have hundreds of active users sharing tips and stories.

Although the galaxy is huge, many players concentrate around well-known hubs like Sol, Lave, or the Bubble area. These hubs offer social interaction and easier access to trade and missions.

Questions people still ask

I have spent dozens of hours flying and trading in Elite Dangerous across PC and consoles.