Elite Dangerous accused of becoming pay-to-win with introduction of new ship

This week, Elite Dangerous – the multiplayer space sim from Frontier Developments – has been met with a spate of negative reviews on Steam, resulting in a recent average rating of ‘Mixed’.

This is all in reaction to the introduction of a new ship known as the Python Mk II. This ship is described as a “sleek” medium class vessel, with a focus on powerful combat. It also promises a smoother ride thanks to its advanced Supercruise Overcharge capabilities.

So, why the upset? Well, it is because the developer has essentially put this new ship behind a paywall for a few months. “The Python Mk II is available in shipyards for all Odyssey owners on PC from 7 August or you can unlock early access today via the ARX store!” reads the update post.

If players want to get their hands on this ship for “early access”, they will need to spend 33,000 ARX for the souped-up version, or 16,520 ARX for the standard version. That is roughly £15 or £10 of real-world money, depending on which you opt for, although up to 400 ARX can be earned each week by playing the game normally.

ARX was first introduced to Elite Dangerous back in 2019. In a forum post detailing the game’s virtual currency at this time, Frontier stated: “As always with our optional additional purchases, ARX can only be used to buy cosmetic Game Extras and will not be used to introduce and acquire pay-to-win purchases.” The Python Mk II, however, seems to contradict this.

As a result, Elite Dangerous players have taken to Steam to voice their discontent. “They promised no pay to win and have absolutely lied so I am uninstalling this game [and] I’m never playing it again,” reads one review from this morning. Another in a similar vein adds: “Unfortunately the company behind this game is now trying to milk it by means of increased MTX costs and Pay2Win mechanics. It’s a shame, because the game itself was worth its money a few years ago, not so much anymore.”

While recent reviews are ‘Mixed’, at the time of writing Elite Dangerous still holds a ‘Mostly Positive’ average overall.

Eurogamer has reached out for further comment on the addition of the Python Mk II, and Frontier’s previous assurance ARX would not be used as a pay-to-win mechanic. We will update you when we hear more.