Frontier Developments announces plans for the upcoming addition of Fleet Carriers to Elite Dangerous, their space exploration and combat game. They say the delayed update will launch in June following an April open beta for PC gamers and a May open beta for PC and consoles. Before that they will hold a livestream on YouTube on April 2nd at 2:00 pm EDT to premier some gameplay and reveal more details. Here's the plan:

Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today revealed the first details on Fleet Carriers, an eagerly awaited update to the long running space simulator, Elite Dangerous. As mobile starships and trading hubs capable of transporting multiple allies, Fleet Carriers will be available to players in two betas ahead of full launch in June. A Frontier stream on April 2 at 18:00 GMT/ 11:00 PST / 14:00 EST will reveal further details. Tune in to watch here.

Experienced Commanders rejoice, as the long awaited Fleet Carriers venture forth into the galaxy, offering a range of new ways to experience Elite Dangerous with expanded emergent gameplay possibilities. Will you be a friend to the galaxy and support wayward travellers, or a tyrant who taxes those in need?

The most expensive investment to date and costing 5,000,000,000 credits, Fleet Carriers are individually owned and contain 16 landing pads of varying sizes for other players to dock their starships in, with a galaxy-spanning jump range of 500 light years.

Once purchased, Commanders can choose whether to invest and open up new services on their mobile hubs, including repair docks, refuelling stations, shipyards and more. Incorporating player-to-player commerce for the first time in Elite Dangerous, Fleet Carrier owners can also set tariffs on all goods traded on their Carrier's services to support the weekly upkeep costs, from wear and tear maintenance to crew wages and Tritium, a new fuel commodity needed to power the megaships.

Aspiring Commanders will be able to customize their Fleet Carriers to their hearts’ content, adapting these majestic spaceships to their preferred playstyle, but they will also need to plan and balance their finances to cover running costs, as persistent debt that eventually exceeds the debt threshold could see carriers decommissioned and sold for parts.

Two open betas will allow all players to experience Fleet Carriers ahead of their launch into the live game. Beta 1 is open to PC players and will commence in April 7. Beta 2 will include PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players and will take place in May. Fleet Carriers officially launch into the live game on June 2020.

A Frontier livestream on April 2 at 18:00 GMT/ 11:00 PST / 14:00 EST will premiere gameplay, reveal further details including customisation options and additional features, and take questions from the community. Join in to hear more here.