Frontier has launched space-combat simulator MMO Elite: Dangerous on Steam.

Originally, Elite: Dangerous was only available through the game’s official website, but now you can pick it up on Valve’s digital distribution platform for $59.99/ £39.99.

Frontier stated that there is “no functional difference” between the versions, which in practice means no Steam achievements or support for Steam Workshop. But, other support is lacking due to it being new to the service. DLC for the game is not purchasable on Steam, only on the Elite: Dangerous web store. Also, any Beta versions of the game will not be available on Steam.

Frontier has “no plans” at the moment to provide players who have already bought Elite: Dangerous with a Steam key for the game, but said that they will “look into it”:

Thanks for your tweets. We are looking at the possibility of providing #EliteDangerous Steam keys to existing players http://t.co/1E3u5ozcGQ

— Elite Dangerous (@EliteDangerous) April 2, 2024

At the moment, Elite Dangerous is only available for Windows. The Mac version won’t be available until sometime later this year, but the developer has said that when it launches those who have already paid for the PC version on Steam will have access to the game on Mac as well, and will be able to play using the same profile. An Xbox One version of the game is also in development, for release at an unspecified date.

Brian Kale reviewed Elite: Dangerous and found it fun, but currently lacking in content - awarding it 6/10. “There is a lot of good with Elite, and perhaps in a year after the many planned content patches have been released I’ll revisit it to find a deeper gameplay experience,” Brian wrote in his Elite: Dangerous Review.

“Elite: Dangerous is not a bad game in any regards, it’s often a very good game; but it’s a game that desperately needs more content, and one that only thrills once or twice every few hours.”