From Starfield to Star Citizen, there’s a wealth of the best space games out there to satisfy your craving for the great beyond. There’s the comprehensive breadth of No Man’s Sky, and the exhilarating battles of Everspace 2. But perhaps the most satisfying among them is Elite Dangerous, the latest entry in one of the oldest space series around, dating back to 1984. Now nine years old, an Elite Dangerous update has just rolled out that introduces a new ship type packed with cargo space.
It’s more than this, but at its heart I always like to think of Elite Dangerous as the ultimate space trucking simulator. Grab a big ship, load it up with cargo, and haul your way across the stars, before soaring into a colossal station to complete your delivery. It’s the closest we’ve got to the Truck Simulator series reimagined as a space game, and I like that. If you’re looking to spice up your service, a new option has just flown into the galaxy – although, for now, you’ll have to stump up real money if you want to add it to your hangar.
The Lakon Type-8 is the perfect fit for traders. It’s custom-built for cargo hauling and can support an impressive 406 tonnes in its hold. Despite this, it’s also pretty nippy to get around – while it can’t reach the speeds of the recently added Python Mk II, it’s more fuel efficient and heat resistant. You can get a glimpse of it in action courtesy of this delightful sales video below, which has big ‘truck commercial’ vibes.
The bad news is that, for now, if you want to load up and roll out in a Type-8 you’ll need to break out your wallet. At launch, the new ship is only available in early access for the game’s real-money Arx currency. The basic version will set you back 16,520 Arx – a bundle offering just enough will cost you $12.99 / £9.59.
Opt for the Type-8 Stellar, which includes a specialized cargo transport loadout with higher carrying capacity and a snazzy Haulage Stripe red paint job, and you’re looking at 33,000 Arx. There’s not an exact match for this but you can pick up two bundles to meet the requirements at a combined price of $25.98 / £17.58.
If you’re not looking to shell out real cash for the Type-8, there’s some good news. The Elite Dangerous 18.08 update also brings the Python Mk II – which was first introduced in May 2024 with a similar early access pricing model – to the regular store. You’ll now be able to pick one up for the price of 79 million in-game credits.
Elite Dangerous update 18.08 is out now. The patch also introduces updates to the game’s engineering ruleset, increases material rewards from missions, and tweaks some recipes. There are also additional balance changes and bug fixes to be found in the full patch notes courtesy of Frontier Developments.
If existing in a vast world full of other real players is your jam, you can’t go far wrong with the best MMORPGs in 2024. Or if you’re just looking to sit back and take it easy, here are the best relaxing games on PC.
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