Elite Dangerous Unveils First Details of "Raid" Multiplayer Operations
We've been given details about a major update for Elite Dangerous that aims to shake up the game's PvE component. The developers at Frontier Developments have revealed the first details of the new Operations system — instanced team missions that players have already dubbed "space raids." This is a new type of cooperative content designed for groups of players (wings), focusing on tactical interaction and completing sequential tasks within closed game zones (instances).
Story Instances
Unlike ordinary signals in open space, "Operations" are scripted missions with unique locations. Players might encounter massive megaships, hidden bases in asteroid fields, or protected scientific outposts. Missions are designed so that every ship type is useful. For example, while agile fighters suppress a megaship's turrets, heavy frigates must hold the shields, and ships with ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) modules must hack security systems. An Operation consists of several phases: infiltration, completing the main objective (e.g., sabotaging a reactor or rescuing valuable cargo), and an organized retreat under the pressure of arriving reinforcements.