Elite Dangerous’ Fleet Carriers free update has arrived

The Elite Dangerous Fleet Carriers free update is now live for anyone looking to get in on some space-simulation action. Frontier Developments has added its newest large-class vessel to the game, the eponymous Fleet Carrier.

These new vessels offer a lot of promise for Commanders who can afford them. Elite Dangerous has them priced at the staggering cost of five billion credits, and they demand significant upkeep. They definitely won’t be attainable for anyone, but a committed player could accomplish a lot with one of these bad boys. Fleet Carriers boast a 500 light-year jump range, which opens up a lot of new possibilities for deep space exploration and long-range capabilities.

The Fleet Carriers are massive and covered in landing pads, so you can bring the whole squad.

Fleet Carriers are for bosses

Players that can get their hands on a Fleet Carrier will have access to nearly everything they need to stay mobile at all times. Frontier claims that Fleet Carriers are versatile enough to support any playstyle, thanks to their on-board services and customizations.

Commanders will be able to refuel, rearm, and repair on-the-go in addition to adding services like Universal Cartographers, Outfitters, and Redemption Officers. Those amenities can help Elite Dangerous Commanders earn even more when visiting sell bonds, buy modules, and more.

What’s truly interesting about these space behemoths, though, is their 16 landing pads. This perk makes it easy to transport an entire squadron of allied Commanders to accomplish any goal. Anyone who consistently plays with a group will find them invaluable.

These are also labeled as Drake-class Fleet Carriers, so there may be more classes coming in future updates.

No free rides

In typical Elite Dangerous fashion, Fleet Carrier owners also reserve the right to allow or deny access to their vessels. Owners can choose to harbor wanted criminals for the right price, or simply give them the galactic boot.

The Fleet Carriers update comes with a technical update as well. Frontier Developments has posted the full patch notes on their forums.

Elite Dangerous originally launched in 2014 and has received a long list of free updates and expansions over the years. The Fleet Carriers update doesn’t look to be the last one, either. The base game for Elite Dangerous is currently available on Steam for the discounted price of $8.99.