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For most of Elite Dangerous’ life ships in the game have all been free – in so much as they could only be purchased with credits earned in game. A relatively recent change of policy saw Frontier Developments announce they would start to sell pre-packaged ships, upgraded and ready for action. This started with the Python Mk 2 and is now followed up with the brand new Type 8 Transporter – a medium-range Freighter that is perfect for those who just want to haul goods across the galaxy and not get involved in any of that fighting shenanigans.
With a huge storage capability of some 406 tonnes the Lakon Type 8 also has a jump range of just shy of 18 Light Years, meaning those long-distance trips won’t feel quite so long.
It’s available in two set-ups with the Basic version being much cheaper than the tricked-out Stellar model. The basic will set you back 16,520 ARX (Elite’s in-game currency) which equates to $12.99/£9.50 while the Type-8 Stellar – the one you want really – has a bigger capacity and a cooler paint job and that costs 33,000 ARX ($26/£17.50) – a not inconsiderable leap in price.
Interestingly in this latest game update, the Python Mk 2 has moved from being a purchasable ship to one that can be bought in game with no real money now for the princely sum of 79 million credits, and the Type 8 will make the same journey in November meaning you only need to purchase it if you want to be one of the first to fly it, or better still, support the devs and their continued hard work on one of the truly great space sims of all time.
The update also includes balancing, bug fixes, and a tweak to engineering.
