Headline on Startup screen dated today, "Thargoids unexpectedly withdraw from core systens".

[quilvein]

Headline on Startup screen dated today, "Thargoids unexpectedly withdraw from core systens". Clicking on the headline link only takes you to a blank screen!
Maybe their target all along was FD and they have all been vapourised so are retreating to their home base or is it something much darker I wonder!!

 

[Saool]

"FDEV expectedly realises no-one really cares about the Thargoid plot in it's current form, and has a rethink."

 

[Rubbernuke]

Thargoids Withdraw from Core Systems
Reports indicate that the Thargoids have abruptly withdrawn from the majority of human-occupied space.
Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, announced:
“Multiple reliable sources have reported a mass departure of Thargoid craft. Their forces vanished from dozens of locations within hours of each other. Only the Maia and Merope systems are still reporting Thargoid activity.”
“Our theory is that the Thargoids have retreated due to our defence operations depleting their numbers. Then again, they may simply be reconsidering their strategy. Either way, Aegis will continue to monitor the situation.”
In response, Professor Ishmael Palin of the Palin Research Centre offered words of warning:
“Celebrating any kind of victory over the Thargoids would be premature. We have no proof that their withdrawal was a result of human activity, and this action is at odds with their highly territorial nature. Nevertheless, this is still a significant – if mysterious – development.”

----

Just like the sea retreating before a tsunami, hopefully.

 

[Bryan K]

Makes you wonder what they know that we don’t.

Either something cool is about to happen, or somebody farted...

 

[Uvelius Sång]

Would be about time. One of the Thargoid structures pulling free and starting to go on some serious business, for example.
Hope never dies ...

 

[Rubbernuke]

Would be about time. One of the Thargoid structures pulling free and starting to go on some serious business, for example.
Hope never dies ...

Or this happened to everyone:

 

[Dillon Fallon]

It's as I've said before:

The scout party has finished looking around and testing our defences. The main fleet with their actual battleships will be along next month.

I just got the timing wrong.

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

The Thargoids are clearly using my pick-up technique:

Step 1: Stand around looking pretty and hope that people come up and talk to me.
Step 2: Leave, and hope that people notice I've gone.
Step 3: Cry myself to sleep alone.

 

[zimms]

So they rage quit over the Arx announcement? Talk about overreaction...

 

[CMDR Big Mike]

I need a weapon....

This seems like the calm before the storm, and 100% related to us finding more meta alloy sources in the witchhead nebula

 

[Chaparral]

They only did this to prevent me from getting triple elite on my alt.

 

[iFred]

Surprisingly on a thursday

 

[RolloTreadway]

Turns out, all they wanted was a date with Relspi.

 

[Earthman]

... ...or somebody farted...

Ok, ok... you got me there... I admit it... shouldn't have had the sprouts

 

[Siobhan]

So they rage quit over the Arx announcement? Talk about overreaction...

Of course not... They rage-quit because RELSPI dump-fragged one of them, calling off the engagement and booking a funeral instead.

 

[Vardaugas]

"Highly territorial nature"

They are massing in the Witch Head Nebula.

 

[Hanerib]

The Thargoids are clearly using my pick-up technique:

Step 1: Stand around looking pretty and hope that people come up and talk to me.
Step 2: Leave, and hope that people notice I've gone.
Step 3: Cry myself to sleep alone.

Aww you poor thing

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

Nothing to do with the Thargoids running out of Barnacles to refuel from then?

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Reading between the lines:

FDev realizes that if they don't change course the entire bubble will be destroyed at the rate they're going and nobody cares, nobody is repairing stations, and nobody is fighting Thargoids other than for the occasional novelty of it and a few grind monkeys intent on keeping their favorite system and most of their Thargoid content is going completely ignored and unused by the player base. They need to rethink and rebalance this whole Thargoid thing while they still have players to engage.

 

[Hanerib]

Barnacles? Barnacles are marine arthropods. I really can't see those being involved in this.