The Game Census
Elite Dangerous cover art

Elite Dangerous

Frontier Developments · 2015-04-02

SteamPlayStation StoreEpic Games StoreMicrosoft Store

ActionAdventureMassively MultiplayerRPGSimulationStrategy

Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)

Releases: Jan 19, 2016 (Oculus Rift), May 12, 2015 (Mac), Oct 06, 2015 (Xbox One), Dec 16, 2014 (PC (Microsoft Windows)), Dec 15, 2015 (SteamVR), Jun 27, 2017 (PlayStation 4)

Take control of your own starship and blaze your trail in an ever-changing galaxy. Master the arts of combat, mining and trade or venture out into the unknown across a 1:1 scale universe.

4,310
playing now
77%
positive of 107k reviews
Mostly Positive
steam rating
2,000,000–5,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
438
twitch viewers (latest)
82/100
critic score (21 outlets, IGDB)
80/100
IGDB user rating (186 ratings)
254h
to beat · rushed 113h · completionist 677h
gold
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$5.99
steam price (US)

4,310 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 00:00 UTC (census sample)

Elite Dangerous is an online space, trading, exploration and combat simulation game developed and published by Frontier Developments. The player commands a spaceship in a realistic 1:1 scale open-world representation of the Milky Way, with open-ended gameplay. Players can explore and engage with a procedurally generated galaxy, which includes around 400 billion star systems. The procedural system allows landing on planets with no or tenuous atmospheres. Many planets have special flora and fauna including alien and human settlements.

Trailer

Elite Dangerous trailer thumbnail

Elite Dangerous Trailer

≈1,000,000 YouTube results for this game's trailer search

Health check

Healthy
  • · 4,310 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 3,380 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~423/week).
  • · Review velocity down 18% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 2% of 10,710 Action games in the census by review count.

Health tier since 2026-08-28

Estimated sales: 2.7M–6.4M copies

Review-multiple estimate from 107,308 total reviews — how this is computed.

Current store prices

GameBillet$5.12-74%
GreenManGaming$5.16-74%
Gamesplanet$5.77-71%
lowest across shops (ITAD)$5.99-70%
GamersGate$6.00-70%
Microsoft Store$19.99

Deal snapshots via CheapShark, refreshed daily.

All-time low: $1.88 at GameBillet (2025-09-30) · bundled 4×via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $19.99 · on sale 127 of 173 observed days · $18.11 above the all-time low (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
1.8k1.8k20182026Week of 2018-01-01: 547 positiveWeek of 2018-01-01: 271 negativeWeek of 2018-02-01: 389 positiveWeek of 2018-02-01: 185 negativeWeek of 2018-03-01: 394 positiveWeek of 2018-03-01: 229 negativeWeek of 2018-04-01: 246 positiveWeek of 2018-04-01: 149 negativeWeek of 2018-05-01: 169 positiveWeek of 2018-05-01: 100 negativeWeek of 2018-06-01: 216 positiveWeek of 2018-06-01: 109 negativeWeek of 2018-07-01: 246 positiveWeek of 2018-07-01: 100 negativeWeek of 2018-08-01: 156 positiveWeek of 2018-08-01: 88 negativeWeek of 2018-09-01: 146 positiveWeek of 2018-09-01: 98 negativeWeek of 2018-10-01: 124 positiveWeek of 2018-10-01: 57 negativeWeek of 2018-11-01: 1,044 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 87 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 477 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 350 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 328 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 126 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 189 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 120 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 138 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 51 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 271 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 195 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 159 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 56 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 584 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 94 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 816 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 137 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 174 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 95 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 205 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 136 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 300 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 76 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 1,419 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 145 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 1,437 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 193 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 1,240 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 161 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 626 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 70 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 676 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 111 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 1,361 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 330 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 967 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 171 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 1,743 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 352 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 1,170 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 213 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 663 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 157 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 659 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 116 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 1,051 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 228 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 1,752 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 240 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 1,206 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 226 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 1,196 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 179 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 976 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 183 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 1,003 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 132 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 1,095 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 251 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 1,617 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 571 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 735 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 408 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 492 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 251 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 394 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 155 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 366 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 122 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 373 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 96 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 568 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 130 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 637 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 162 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 691 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 171 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 529 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 156 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 422 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 115 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 443 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 219 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 318 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 140 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 373 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 110 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 359 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 168 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 335 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 86 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 329 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 109 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 305 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 111 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 411 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 90 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 429 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 149 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 400 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 130 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 246 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 79 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 318 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 86 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 362 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 224 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 309 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 143 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 224 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 113 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 251 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 140 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 198 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 81 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 278 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 126 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 187 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 68 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 255 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 72 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 243 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 83 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 234 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 95 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 212 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 53 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 241 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 76 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 299 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 179 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 297 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 336 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 177 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 78 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 219 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 84 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 233 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 103 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 257 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 105 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 239 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 82 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 512 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 146 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 535 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 143 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 484 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 247 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 363 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 88 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 497 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 186 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 393 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 169 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 341 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 110 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 290 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 112 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 337 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 134 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 361 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 123 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 248 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 129 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 473 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 293 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 464 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 145 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 327 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 141 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 303 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 135 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 246 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 92 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 291 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 96 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 301 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 127 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 308 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 108 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 293 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 131 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 314 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 167 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 178 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 66 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

5.9k2.4k2026-08-06 21:00 — 4,892 players2026-08-07 05:00 — 2,860 players2026-08-07 13:00 — 3,692 players2026-08-07 21:00 — 5,158 players2026-08-08 05:00 — 3,201 players2026-08-08 13:00 — 4,451 players2026-08-08 21:00 — 5,742 players2026-08-09 05:00 — 3,470 players2026-08-09 13:00 — 4,889 players2026-08-09 21:00 — 5,763 players2026-08-10 05:00 — 2,759 players2026-08-10 13:00 — 3,687 players2026-08-10 21:00 — 4,865 players2026-08-11 05:00 — 2,652 players2026-08-11 13:00 — 3,429 players2026-08-12 21:00 — 4,374 players2026-08-14 04:00 — 2,669 players2026-08-15 12:00 — 4,078 players2026-08-16 20:00 — 5,363 players2026-08-18 04:00 — 2,830 players2026-08-19 11:00 — 3,081 players2026-08-20 19:00 — 4,975 players2026-08-22 02:00 — 3,405 players2026-08-23 10:00 — 3,737 players2026-08-24 17:00 — 4,755 players2026-08-26 01:00 — 3,249 players2026-08-27 09:00 — 2,361 players2026-08-28 17:00 — 4,675 players2026-08-30 00:00 — 4,310 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$59.99$1.992015-04-032026-08-282015-04-03 — best price $59.992017-07-05 — best price $29.992018-05-28 — best price $29.992019-02-22 — best price $14.992019-11-12 — best price $8.992020-06-12 — best price $29.992020-08-22 — best price $23.552020-10-23 — best price $29.992020-12-17 — best price $26.882021-02-16 — best price $6.892021-04-26 — best price $25.052021-07-10 — best price $29.992021-10-22 — best price $8.092022-01-07 — best price $26.882022-03-22 — best price $26.882022-06-16 — best price $22.062022-09-06 — best price $29.992022-12-04 — best price $26.282023-02-13 — best price $5.492023-05-03 — best price $24.402023-08-28 — best price $22.652023-11-17 — best price $4.992024-01-31 — best price $7.502024-04-03 — best price $5.992024-07-14 — best price $5.802024-09-27 — best price $5.752024-12-06 — best price $17.992025-01-27 — best price $5.302025-03-23 — best price $19.992025-06-05 — best price $19.992025-09-03 — best price $5.992025-11-25 — best price $5.062026-02-06 — best price $18.792026-04-27 — best price $4.382026-06-30 — best price $5.572026-08-28 — best price $19.99
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Attention

4801952026-05-30 — 278 pageviews2026-06-02 — 392 pageviews2026-06-05 — 336 pageviews2026-06-08 — 395 pageviews2026-06-11 — 302 pageviews2026-06-14 — 270 pageviews2026-06-17 — 239 pageviews2026-06-20 — 252 pageviews2026-06-23 — 233 pageviews2026-06-26 — 309 pageviews2026-06-29 — 277 pageviews2026-07-02 — 480 pageviews2026-07-05 — 329 pageviews2026-07-08 — 270 pageviews2026-07-11 — 249 pageviews2026-07-14 — 468 pageviews2026-07-17 — 322 pageviews2026-07-20 — 285 pageviews2026-07-23 — 243 pageviews2026-07-26 — 257 pageviews2026-07-29 — 262 pageviews2026-08-01 — 195 pageviews2026-08-04 — 239 pageviews2026-08-07 — 268 pageviews2026-08-10 — 325 pageviews2026-08-13 — 224 pageviews2026-08-16 — 254 pageviews2026-08-19 — 428 pageviews2026-08-22 — 293 pageviews2026-08-25 — 289 pageviews2026-08-27 — 282 pageviews
Daily Wikipedia pageviews (attention proxy, census-recorded).

Twitch viewers

701752026-08-28 02:34 — 158 viewers2026-08-28 04:34 — 111 viewers2026-08-28 06:34 — 135 viewers2026-08-28 08:34 — 170 viewers2026-08-28 10:34 — 629 viewers2026-08-28 12:34 — 701 viewers2026-08-28 14:34 — 693 viewers2026-08-28 16:35 — 559 viewers2026-08-28 18:34 — 486 viewers2026-08-28 20:34 — 576 viewers2026-08-28 22:34 — 492 viewers2026-08-29 00:34 — 306 viewers2026-08-29 02:34 — 220 viewers2026-08-29 04:34 — 182 viewers2026-08-29 06:34 — 75 viewers2026-08-29 08:34 — 150 viewers2026-08-29 10:34 — 246 viewers2026-08-29 12:35 — 224 viewers2026-08-29 14:34 — 186 viewers2026-08-29 16:34 — 129 viewers2026-08-29 18:34 — 176 viewers2026-08-29 20:34 — 321 viewers2026-08-29 22:34 — 389 viewers2026-08-30 00:34 — 302 viewers2026-08-30 02:34 — 202 viewers2026-08-30 04:34 — 215 viewers2026-08-30 06:34 — 181 viewers2026-08-30 08:34 — 156 viewers2026-08-30 10:34 — 172 viewers2026-08-30 12:34 — 264 viewers2026-08-30 14:34 — 343 viewers2026-08-30 15:34 — 438 viewers
Hourly Twitch viewers (census snapshots).

Details

WindowsSingle-playerMulti-playerMMOCo-opVR SupportedVR SupportIn-App PurchasesPartial Controller SupportRemote Play on TabletFamily Sharing2 DLC

5 supported languages: English, French, German, Russian, Spanish - Spain

Console footprint

PlatformPlayers trackedCompletionTrophies/achievements
Xbox One (Xbox)21,8650%225
PS4 (PlayStation)12,3380%64

Players tracked by Exophase (achievement/trophy trackers) — a sample of the player base, not total sales.

Where its players are

Share of Steam reviews by language (top languages measured) — a proxy for where the player base lives.

Player tags

VRSpaceActionSci-fiSandboxAdventureSpace SimOpen WorldSimulationExploration

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Recent updates

Players also track

StarMadeStar Control®: OriginsMiscreatedSurvivalistImmortal: UnchainedEmpyrion - Galactic SurvivalBorderlands 3Force of Nature

Similarity via IGDB.

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