What you need to know
- Elite Dangerous is an expansive online sci-fi game that is preparing its next major expansion, Odyssey.
- Odyssey will completely transform Elite Dangerous, allowing players to step foot outside of their ships for the first time.
- However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shifting work circumstances, Elite Dangerous: Odyssey has been delayed.
- The PC release has been delayed until Spring 2021, while console players will have to wait even longer until Autumn 2021.
Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is the next major expansion for the ever-popular online sci-fi game Elite Dangerous. While Elite Dangerous already boasts a ton of content from the confines of incredibly detailed spaceships, Odyssey will allow players to set foot outside of their ships and explore entire planets. The ambitious expansion was set to release in early 2021, but a new message from Frontier Developments has announced that Elite Dangerous: Odyssey has sadly been delayed.
From Frontier Developments:
The ongoing impact of the pandemic, however, including the renewed lockdowns in 2021, continues to put added pressure on our teams and ultimately our development timeline. We have therefore had to make the difficult decision to make some adjustments and changes to our existing development roadmap.
The PC release of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey isn't that far off and is set to release sometime late in Spring 2021. Those who bought into the Deluxe edition of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey and the Lifetime Expansion Pass will be able to participate in an Alpha release of Odyssey sometime early in Spring 2021.
Finally, console players will, unfortunately, have to wait the longest, as Elite Dangerous: Odyssey has been delayed until Autumn 2021. This is to ensure that the console version of the game is brought to the same level of quality as the PC version, and therefore requires more time in development.
While saddening that the game has been delayed, Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is an ambitious project that deserves the time it needs to be its best possible version. In the meantime, Frontier Developments plans to release more updates, posts, and developer blogs (like this one about player choice in Odyssey) on the road to release.
Players who are planning on jumping into Elite Dangerous or need to update their existing setup should check out our list of Best HOTAS Joystick & Throttle Combinations for some great options.
Elite Dangerous
A massive game, getting bigger.
Elite Dangerous is one of the best online sci-fi games around, and it's about to get even bigger. Despite a small delay for its next big expansion, players can still get into the rest of the already-massive Elite Dangerous for the best price yet right now.
Zachary Boddy is the Minecraft Expert and a News Writer for Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life, and have been freelancing for Windows Central and its sister sites since 2019, with a focus on Xbox and PC gaming. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.
