Elite Dangerous: Beyond will get a second chapter on June 28, continuing the story of the Thargoid incursion into human-controlled systems of the Milky Way.
Beyond, which began February 27 with the first chapter, represents the third season of content for Elite Dangerous. It’s free to all players and will release simultaneously on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
A news release from Frontier Developments promised that the second chapter is more than just a narrative continuation. A new ship, the Challenger, will be introduced. It’s a “frontline combat vessel” meant to engage the Thargoids like the Chieftain, introduced in Chapter One. The Challenger has better armor, however, and should absorb much more damage. The Thargoids get a new Scout ship to buff existing scout ships and increase their combat effectiveness.
Tech Brokers will be introduced to allow players to unlock large-size versions of existing Guardian tech weapons. These will be accessible through missions, where brokers ask players to collect Guardian data and material (essentially crafting the item). And commanders now have four more interactions with Space Installations, similar to ones with Megaships that were introduced in Chapter One.
Frontier said Chapter two is the first of two smaller installments in the Beyond season of updates, with the larger finale coming in the last quarter of 2018. That will bring in Squadrons and improvements to Mining and Exploration, the developer said.
