When they confirmed in Kickstarter there would be an offline mode;
All servers will be run by Frontier, but they are building in a failsafe for the future should they ever decide to switch them off, so that you can still play single player.
Until then you have the option for permanent offline single player
OR
synced single player - limited group multiplayer - unlimited multiplayer
The last 3 share the same universe, so what happens in SSP, LGMP or ULMP affects the other 2 - BUT in SSP you are the only PC and in LGMP you only play with people you want to - so no griefing

And griefing will also be combated in ULMP by use of a bounty system and NPC police close to core planets and stations.
permalinkparent
[–]MichaelBrookes 2 points 1 year ago
That is correct.
More proof quotes:
Elite will also work offline but you just won’t get a lot of the features. The whole point is that the world evolves due to the aggregated actions of the players.” – David Braben
“I’m always concerned with games that are server-based that you can’t then play them after the publisher or whoever turns the servers off. We’ll structure it in a way that you could play it entirely locally, so it would survive time if that makes sense.” - David Braben
“We plan to fund the servers off (i) the updates and (ii) people who want to buy cash. I don’t think it is a high risk - and in the worst case we will structure the game so that it can be run without the servers should we eventually have to shut them down.” - David Braben
“I hope you’ll all give the connected game a try as it is the way we want people to experiece it, but you have the option if it’s not your thing.” - Michael Brookes
“You can play offline without server connections and we will make sure you can play the game if we ever shut the servers down.” - Michael Brookes
“Space is big

Most of the galaxy is unexplored when the game begins and there are plenty of resources to be discovered. There will also be an offline single player mode.” - Michael Brookes
Just in case you're in doubt about the announcement of offline mode actually being an offline mode please read said article
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...e-non-committal-kickstarterbeta-refunds.shtml
great artical must read.
Want the real reason for no offline mode
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme..._braben_cocreator_of_elite_creator_of/c7qe8c1
Ian Bell
~ In an interview with Ian Bell, he was asked the following:
Q: With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, would you have done anything differently? If you had a time machine, what advice would you whisper in the ear of your twenty year-old self?
A: Don’t trust David to play fair by you.
If any of you don't know who Ian Bell is he is the Co-creator of the original Elite.
"refunds for those who wanted it were available, provided that they had not played the game. That is to say, if you pre-ordered the game, on the basis of an off-line mode, then you were entitled to receive your money back. If however you played the Beta, then decided you wanted your money back, well, no, the law is clear on this"
Wrong again dear sir.
http://www.reddit.com/r/elitedangerousrefunds/comments/2p2fuu/citizens_advice_bureau_uk_feedback/
They acutally gave refunds to people if you had played the game or not they breached UK consumer law.
"Pre-order Mercenary Pack decals and extra ships have already been added to your accounts"
how does that quote refer to kickstarter extras?
software laws in the UK changed in June you have the same rights now as though you we're buying from a shop this includes BETA people bought into the BETA because they believed there would be an offline mode.
See Pal not a clue
As for OP we need an official statement from FD and then they can put this matter to rest then we have no more threads.
So I ask FD, Have we been given the 1 of 5 ships if not when? (aprox)
Why do those who bought the game after release have the decals, paint jobs and insurance discounts?