How long will Frontier support Elite Dangerous

[robbyp]

Since the game works only if the Frontier servers are running, how long do they say in the future they are going to keep this running? 3 years? 5 years? etc..

At the moment the game has no revenue stream for them except new sales (and paint jobs), maybe that will change..

I've looked thru the terms and conditions and cannot find that.

Just curious..

 

[Joe Spivey]

Well, Frontier have been behind the Elite franchise for the last what? 30 years? So baring accidents and keeping in mind DBOBE's vision I would expect them to be backing, and me to be playing, ED until they pry the HOTAS from my cold dead hands many years from now.

 

[FoxTwo]

It has been mentioned they hope to keep it going for "the next 10 years" or so...

However even if for some reason the servers go offline in the future, there's always Solo Offline, so you can still run it, play it... just not in MP mode.

 

[Oss133]

Until the end of time. Until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against them. Until the billboards fall. Until...

 

[forger]

elite dangerous is future proof (read the article if you didnt, ED will be great even on 16k monitors whenever that will be), and every year there are many potential gamers born, elite is unique game, it might be niche game but might be cult game, because this is probably only game where 40++ year old gamers can refresh their gaming skills just to remember 1984...also new generation might be very excited when FPS/planetary landings will be there, also do not forget that we are in 1:1 milky way and all is more less scientific and not some imagined crap, game is not easy but that might attract even more gamers, because i stopped playing most modern games just because they are all dumbed down and i feel like playing those i am dumbing down myself

anyway FD roller coaster tycoon is around 10 years so i guess DB dream game will be supported at least 20 years, unless they will release Elite 5

 

[QuantumTron]

If fdev really wanted to spend the time developing the system in the future, I could see a possibility where they could - if the codebase allowed it - convert the game client such that multiplayer could operate purely on a decentralised P2P server system. But that's far away in the future and purely conjecture on my part.

 

[MarktJones]

Until next Monday. Then they'll all be in Brazil, living off 10%.

 

[lysan]

In the worst case scenario, meaning if they can't make enough to spin the servers and improve the game. There are many ways to inject capital to the game. One could be subscription on a free basic, this way they will still be in comply to the TOS.

 

[TallTroll]

The marginal cost of the FD owned servers is pretty low. That's one of the reasons they chose a P2P model, despite the disadvantages it imposes. Sales of paintjobs, other cosmetic in-game stuff (bobbleheads maybe?), physical items and in-game currency will provide a recurring revenue stream, and in extremis converting to a subscription model might be an option too. In short, as long as people keep playing, they should be able to keep running it.

 

[Joe Spivey]

And let's not forget that FD was a very successful company prior to development of ED. The company has lots of other irons in the fire that keep it going.

 

[Ixnatifual]

They will generate more funding through the game by selling expansions adding new game features and content. As long as there are still ways to add meaningful features and content this way and as long as enough people are willing to pay for it, they will probably continue. Nobody knows how long this will last. Maybe 10 years if things go exceptionally well. Or maybe the game will sell poorly and not even a single expansion will be produced.

 

[Robert Maynard]

.... and in extremis converting to a subscription model might be an option too.

If funds are ran out to such an extent that Frontier were to seriously consider a subscription model then I'd rather they released the server package and allowed individuals to setup P2P game servers.

 

[chris5281]

Until one of these three things happen:

1. They go out of business

2. It is no longer profitable for them to support it

3. They wish to shift the player base to Elite 5 (Eliteeadly ?)

Converting this into a number of years is essentially impossible to estimate until we know how good the final game is and how many units it is going to shift. Based on the current gaming industry landscape, 5 years seems a decent first guess. 10 years+ seems optimistic.

 

[robbyp]

Thanks for the replies..

Looks like we will have to trust to luck. There seems to be no evidence of any minimum service guarantee in anything I've read or anything posted here. I would have thought a minimum term would have been indicated in the T&Cs..

I'm thinking of FFE since I still power it up 20 years on.. I hope I'll be able to do that with ED (be a bit old and grey then ;-)

 

[Mephane]

Thanks for the replies..

Looks like we will have to trust to luck. There seems to be no evidence of any minimum service guarantee in anything I've read or anything posted here. I would have thought a minimum term would have been indicated in the T&Cs..

I'm thinking of FFE since I still power it up 20 years on.. I hope I'll be able to do that with ED (be a bit old and grey then ;-)

I don't think any game with an online component ever guaranteed a specific minimum lifetime of the servers. Instead, usually the TOS include clauses allowing the company to shut down all services at any point without prior warning.

In any case, this is also why singleplayer offline mode is so important.

 

[StarTux]

Don't forget we're likely to see other game studios license the Cobra engine too at some point.

 

[Phosphora]

If you persuade your friends to buy the game, and maybe a few decals as well, you'll have potentially extended the lifetime of the game.

Cheers, Phos.

 

[Adept]

It's Braben's Great Work. He has said he doesn't want to make another Elite game, but to keep improving and expanding this one. I believe him <3

 

[VR jefranklin18]

It has to be remembered that DBOBE has said many times that is a game they (read he) want to play. As long as Frontier are making money, they willalways fund the servers.

At least that is my take.

 

[RCKJD]

And let's not forget that FD was a very successful company prior to development of ED. The company has lots of other irons in the fire that keep it going.

What do you mean with "was"? They still are.
And yes, FD has other games in the pipeline besides Elite: Dangerous. I think they said while E: D is the main project, only half of their staff is working on it.