Frontier Developments’ VR-compatible space sim Elite Dangerous (2014) is going free on the Epic Games Store this week.
Update (November 19th, 2020): Starting today, for the next week you’ll be able to grab and keep Elite Dangerous for free, which includes VR support for all SteamVR headsets.
It’s bound to go live any moment now, so make sure to update your Store launcher. If you’re not at home, you can always claim it on the Epic Games Store website, sign into your account, and download later.
Original Article (November 13th, 2020): Starting on Thursday, November 19th and going until the 26th, you’ll be able to download and keep Elite Dangerous for free. You can add it to your wishlist by clicking the heart symbol on the game’s store page.
This also includes one of the game’s biggest DLC packs, Horizons, which in 2015 brought to the space-faring simulator the ability to land and drive on the surface of planets, craft weapons, and participate in multicrew action. It’s been free on all platforms since late October, representing a load of previously-paid content now baked into the base game.
On PC, Elite Dangerous was one of the first truly massive space sims to offer VR support, letting users with SteamVR headsets pilot space ships through the game’s open-universe sandbox to fight, trade, cooperate, and mine. It was a great first ‘wow’ moment, and still is for anyone with a PC VR headset looking for immersion.
With the free release of the game on Epic Games Store, Frontier is seemingly drumming up a new player base in preparation of their next big DLC launch, Odyssey, which brings first-person shooting action to the game.
Note: We learned last month that VR support for Odyssey will only be available when users fly down to planets and drive along planet surfaces in their vehicles. Leaving the ship to continue on foot will bring up a 2D projected flat game screen—a definite dampener on VR enjoyment of the DLC.
Still, if you haven’t picked up Elite Dangerous by now, next week is the perfect time to jump into one of the best, most expansive VR-compatible games out there. Bring your HOTAS, make sure to study your keybindings, and hunt for a Discord to help you with all of the complex, but admittedly awesome bits in between.