In context: Elite Dangerous is one of the most well-known multiplayer space sims out there today. While it never obtained quite the tremendous following that some of its competitors have – No Man's Sky and Star Citizen, to be specific – that's not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of making promises they can't keep, Elite: Dangerous' developers decided to start small and slowly expand the game over time.
These days, Elite Dangerous ever-expanding feature set boasts rover-based planetary exploration, intense dogfights, alien threats, opportunities for trading, and more. However, as entertaining as the game is in its current state, Elite Dangerous differs from some other modern space sims by restricting players to their starships.
Aside from the rover exploration mentioned a moment ago, there are no opportunities for users to leave their vehicles and walk around a planet's surface or a space station's interior. Since the core of the game does center around space flight and exploration, this isn't a tremendous drawback, but it can nonetheless be immersion breaking to never leave your cockpit under any circumstances.
Fortunately, after years of teasing the feature, Elite Dangerous has finally revealed its highly-anticipated "space legs" feature. With the launch of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey – the next major expansion for the game – players will be able to leave their ships and explore distant planets on foot. You'll be able to perform stealth missions (including assassinations) and dive into tactical FPS battles, where players, starships, and rovers will "converge").
Alternatively, you might make your way to a nearby social hub, where you can meet and interact with other players. These "public outposts" will also include shops where you can upgrade your gear to better suit your playstyle.
All of these features sound incredibly exciting, and we can't wait to see them in action. Hopefully, developer Frontier (the folks behind Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster) will reveal some official Odyssey gameplay, and perhaps a more concrete release date, before the end of the year.