Elite: Dangerous announced as sequel to 1980's space trader

Legendary designer David Braben has turned to Kickstarter to fund a new entry in the Elite series.

One of the first high-profile projects to launch since Kickstarter opened its doors to UK-based campaigns, Elite: Dangerous is hoping to source £1,250,000.

Frontier Developments aims to developer Elite: Dangerous as the natural successor to previous entires in the series, as well as related title Frontier - as a 3D, multiplayer, procedurally-generated, open-world space trading simulation like its progenitors, but taking advantage of modern technology and advances like "sumptuous graphics".

Players will begin with a small craft and modest initial resources, then set out to "trade, pirate, bounty-hunt, explore, and salvage your way to wealth and fame" in competition or co-operation with others. You'll be able to choose who can enter your game world, but Braben hopes to avoid lobbies and says the technolgoy to support this vision is already in place.

Writing on the campaign page, Braben said Elite: Dangerous is the game he's wanted to make for a long time, and that the studio has had "a couple of false starts" while it prioritised other commitments.

"Up to now Elite has been worked upon by a small team as a ‘skunk-works’ activity in the background as availability permits. Nevertheless, we have been preparing; laying the technology and design foundations for when the time is right. And that time is now," he said.

Elite: Dangerous is expected on PC in March 2014. A pitch video has not been made available.

Thanks, Gamasutra.