Say goodbye to mandatory space taxis as Elite Dangerous: Odyssey's alpha enters Phase Two Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Say goodbye to mandatory space taxis as Elite Dangerous: Odyssey's alpha enters Phase Two Adds player ships, Conflict Zones, and more. News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 8 Apr 2021 3 comments Elite Dangerous players in the Odyssey alpha can finally wave a less-than-fond farewell to the expansion's tortuous space taxis as Frontier embarks on Phase Two of its pre-release testing today, 8th April, giving Commanders access to their own ships for the first time. Previously, Odyssey's AI-piloted Apex Interstellar taxi service was the only way to get around the galaxy during the alpha, forcing players into an endless series of lengthy journeys with nothing much to do but stare out the window at the infinite expanse. Now, however, with the arrival of the alpha's combat-focussed second phase, players can fly themselves around the available systems - touching down on planets for more of Odyssey's centrepiece on-foot traversal along the way - as their whims take them. To that end, Frontier is issuing all alpha testers (that is, anyone that's pre-purchased Odyssey's Deluxe Alpha Expansion) with a Cobra Mk III, complete with multi-crew seat, as well as 300,000 credits to spend as they choose. Additionally, Phase Two's playable galaxy area has been expanded to approximately 20LY, with everyone now starting out in the Nervi system. Watch on YouTube Elite Dangerous: Odyssey - Conflict Zones. Elsewhere, the alpha's second phase introduces team-deathmatch-style planetary Conflict Zones, and players can sign up to participate via the Frontline Solutions desk found at stations and outposts. These missions send players off to a settlement in order to fight on the side of a specific warring faction (the opposition being made up of both AI and human opponents in a 12v12 game). To win, a side must either kill sufficient enemy troops or capture vital comms points around a Conflict Zone - as detailed in Frontier's new video summarising the feature. Lastly, Odyssey alpha players now have access to the durable Dominator Suit, which is designed specifically for combat and enables the wearer to equip two primary weapons. Today's update includes a number of fixes for previously reported issues, as detailed on Frontier's forums, and will pave the way for the Odyssey alpha's final two phases. These are set to open up the galaxy still further, will introduce Odyssey's new exploration features for testing, and, eventually, will enable players to bring in their Commanders from the main game. Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is currently scheduled to launch on PC this spring, with an Xbox and PlayStation release expected in autumn. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store