Elite Dangerous is lowering the astronomical running costs of its upcoming Fleet Carriers

Elite Dangerous' long-awaited multi-ship Fleet Carriers are, after many delays, almost upon us - and better yet, their eye-watering running and upkeep costs, revealed last month, have now been dramatically reduced, following push-back from players during the current beta.

Fleet Carriers, for the uninitiated, function as "mobile starships and trading hubs capable of transporting multiple allies", and can accommodate up to 16 players. They don't, however, come cheap and will cost a Commander 5,000,000,000 credits for the privilege of owning the basic model - placing them firmly in the domain of cash-rich players only.

And as if that initial outlay wasn't enough of a financial drain, players are also expected to pay weekly maintenance fees for operating Fleet Carriers, plus running costs for Optional Services, and still more money for the likes of restocking and commodity purchasing.

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