Elite: Dangerous devs counter outrage with select refunds
To appease fans outraged at the recent announcement that freeform space sandbox Elite: Dangerous will not include an offline single-player mode, the game's developers are now offering refunds, but only to certain customers.
"Those who have pre-ordered an Elite: Dangerous release version from our online store and have therefore not yet played the game are eligible for a refund," writes David Braben, founder of developer Frontier Developments, in the latest Elite: Dangerous newsletter. "Those who have already been playing the game online in the Alpha and/or Beta phases, regardless of whether they backed the project via Kickstarter or purchased access to Alpha and/or Beta through our online store, are not eligible for a refund." Braben then adds that the developers will consider each case, even those that don't necessarily fit the above refund criteria, "with the thoroughness it deserves."
Finally, Braben explains why the planned single-player offline mode will not be included in Elite: Dangerous. "It is a creative decision, not wanting to produce an empty game. It is technically possible, but it would be a largely separate game development." Elite: Dangerous is slated to reach the PC on December 16, with an OS X release following three months later.
[Image: Frontier Developments]
