The next major update to Elite: Dangerous from developer Frontier will be pitting the galactic powers against one another in Powerplay, where Commanders will choose their side and help a faction dominate.
Each organisation is ”fully fleshed-out” featuring perks, political leanings and a biography. They either grow in influence or fall to ruin as players help these factions vie for control.
”If you choose to participate in Powerplay, it will add a whole new dimension to Elite: Dangerous,” Lead Designer Sandro Sammarco says. ”These powers have their own ethos and methods. How they take control of systems varies depending on whether they favour warlike or more pacifist methods. Some will conquer systems with economics, others by just sending in the troops. Either way, you can be part of that.”
Warlike powers are there for players preferring action over more subtle conquest, like trade.
”You could choose a Power for any number of reasons,” Sammarco continues. ”Maybe you’ll pick one who dominates a regular trade route you like or one that offers the kinds of missions you like to fly. Maybe you’ll pick one whose politics you favour or maybe you’ll just side with one who’s about to go to war with your best friend’s faction!”
UI head Jon Pace says Powerplay is like a ”massive strategy boardgame, but our conflicts play out in three dimensions, and we have to make that readable for players.” Borders will be visible, detailing what systems they control, who their neighbours and enemies are, and how the landscape shifts every week. ”And we’ve added new screens to your ship’s UI,” Pace continues. ”So you can get an immediate overview of the Powers and their standing in the galaxy.”
Players get to decide where Powers focus their next efforts. ”At the end of the week the target will be chosen and objectives will be created. If your Power tasks you to conquer a system, there will always be an opposing mission for the other side,” explained Sammarco.
It’s a dynamic power shift that should inject some savage competition to Elite: Dangerous, and provide all-new depths of drama. Powerplay will initially limit itself to 20 of these factional powers as they rise in prominence, and it will be possible to defect - which carries unique consequences, like having former allies purposefully hunt you down.
Check out Elite: Dangerous Newsletter #72 for more on Powerplay, which launches in May.
