Elite Dangerous Beta 2 On Sep 30th, Original Elite Is Free

I continue to find Elite: Dangerous's version names slightly confusing. Premium Beta 2 came out back in June, but the new update coming September 30th is called "Beta 2". Thankfully I can overcome my confusion for the exciting feature list, which includes a reputation system, the introduction of exploration mechanics, 500 new star systems, a vaster collection of upgrade spaceship modules.... And so on. The full list is below the fold.

Here's the full list:

• Combat ratings from ‘Harmless’ all the way up to ‘Elite’.
• Reputations per system and galaxy-wide that influence attitudes and prices offered to you.
• Ability to discover and explore and scan new systems and sell the data on them.
• Detailed system maps.
• Around 500 additional star systems to explore.
• Lakon Asp Explorer ships added.
• Much greater variety of upgradable Life Support modules, Engines, Hyperdrives, Power Distributors, Sensors, Shield Generators and Cargo Racks for all ships.
• Ships are subject to gradual ‘wear and tear’.
• New weapons including mines and a new non-lethal missile-deployed cargo hatch disruptor for piracy.
• Outposts (small, exposed ‘roadside café’ stations in remote locations)
• Occelus starports, a version of which can move around for early civilization of new systems and space tourism.
• Visibility of other ships in supercruise, and track others through supercruise and hyperspace.
• Newsfeeds about events from the rest of the galaxy and player activity in your local system.
• All backers names (from the appropriate crowd-funding reward tiers) have been added to the NPC naming database.

Elite: Dangerous already feels great to fly and fight around, but each added detail to its expanding galaxy is exciting because it offers not just more to do in the inky black, but a further expansion of its space-venturer fantasy. I want to rocket around between its'roadside cafe'-style outposts next, like a space trucker...

Oh no, I just remembered.

While the Elite Dangerous Beta may also be too expensive for you at its current £50 price, you could always of course celebrate the series' 30th anniversary by grabbing the original Elite for free. Also, I wouldn't normally casually link to DLC - and I wouldn't pay £10 for this - but the wireframe Cobra paintjob on sale is kinda cool too.

Space!