Space sim fanatics cannot help but purchase and play both Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen since both offer different space game experiences. In addition, these space simulation games allow players to access either single-player or multiplayer mode. Both games give players the freedom of exploration as they earn the skill, knowledge, wealth, and power. Elite Dangerous offers players a dynamic society and economy where they can freely choose what to do and what stories they’ll write as their game progresses. On the other hand, Star Citizen was built to become a space simulation where players can fly around in ships across the galaxy, including going out in a space suit. The following further explores such differences.

What is Elite Dangerous?

Elite Dangerous was built on a 1:1 scale relative to Milky Way Galaxy with 400-billion-star systems and full galactic and technological simulation based on real scientific principles. This game was developed and published by Frontier Developments and was released for Microsoft Windows in December 2014. Moreover, it was also released for Xbox One in October 2015 and for Play Station 4 in June 2017. This is the first in the Elite series to feature an online multiplayer as well as an online single-player mode. Also, it is the sequel to Frontier: First Encounters released in 1995.

Elite Dangerous is a space-flight simulation game where players explore a realistic Milky Way Galaxy representation as they pilot a spaceship. The narrative story of the game’s universe is being affected by the players’ choices and actions in a multiplayer game play, while retaining single-player options. The player’s abilities and the ship’s quality determine the game’s outcome since there are neither classes nor skill levels. One can be an explorer, mercenary, pirate, smuggler, trader, or a combination of these roles.

What is Star Citizen?

Star Citizen is a space trading and combat space simulation game developed and published by Cloud Imperium Games. Star Citizen started its development in 2011 and was intended to be released in 2014. However, it is still under development up to this present time. This space sim game can only be played in Microsoft Windows.

Star Citizen is being developed to be a universe that combines the freedom of exploration, the thrill of combat, and the unique challenge of building a life in space. This will allow players to navigate through a mixture of generated and handcrafted worlds and interact with characters by either playing as a cargo hauler, exploring the vastness of space, or scraping out a living outside the law. Because of its active development, only fractions of Star Citizen’s playable content have been released. This development aims Star Citizen to be everything in space sim games one could possibly visualize.

Difference between Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen

1. Platform for Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen

Elite Dangerous can be played in Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and Play Station 4, while Star Citizen can only be played in Microsoft Windows.

2. Game State

 Elite Dangerous has started its development in 2012 and has been released in December 2014. Currently, it gets frequent updates and fixes. In contrast, Star Citizen has started its development in 2011 but is still not released. Although it was initially scheduled for release in 2014, Cloud Imperium Games announced that it is still under development procedures. 

3. Micro-transactions

Elite Dangerous only offers to players the ability to buy several paint jobs for their space crafts. On the other hand, Star Citizen is full of micro-transactions including buying currency, buying ships, and has recently added the opportunity for players to buy billions of kilometers of virtual land plots.

4. Target Players

Elite Dangerous aims to cater to those who just want to hop into the virtual world, play for a couple of hours, either alone or with a group of friends, and then go back to the real world. However, Star Citizen has the intention of grabbing the players’ complete attention, draw them into cyberspace and giving them endless possible virtual scenarios with various venues to discover and explore.

5. Focus for  Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen

In Elite Dangerous, even though one’s avatar can be observed because of recent updates, the focus is on a player being the space ship, perceiving the universe through the cockpit. In Star Citizen, the emphasis is on one’s avatar instead of its space craft. This is done so that the player can both fly ships and engage in “FPS-PvP” (First Person Shooter- Player versus Player) as well.

Elite Dangerous vs Star Citizen

Summary of Elite Dangerous vs. Star Citizen

• Both Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen are space simulation games that give players access to either single-player or multiplayer mode. 
• Elite Dangerous offers players a dynamic society and economy where they can freely choose what to do and what stories they’ll write as their game progresses.
• Star Citizen was built to become a space simulation where players can do whatever they want like flying around in ships across the galaxy, including going out in a space suit.
• Elite Dangerous is a game with full galactic and technological simulation based on real scientific principles developed and published by Frontier Developments, and was released for Microsoft Windows in December 2014.
• Elite Dangerous has been getting frequent updates and fixes since its release in December 2014 while only fractions of Star Citizen’s playable content have been released because of its active development.
• Elite Dangerous is playable in Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and Play Station 4 while Star Citizen is playable in Microsoft Windows only.
• Elite Dangerous emphasizes the player as a space craft while Star Citizen focuses on the player’s avatar. 

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