Community updates

30 July 2026

Elite Dangerous: July Dev Log 2026

Greetings Commanders,

Welcome to July's Dev Log. In this month's post we're starting by looking back at the Nomad, our latest new vessel which has taken the galaxy by storm. We'll then take you behind the scenes of Operations, specifically the incredible work done by our art team to bring these new locations to life.

Charge your Frameshift Drives and let's explore the unknown together!

-- Dev Log Team

A Look back at the Nomad

Alongside Operations, we introduced our next new vessel for Elite Dangerous, Faulcon DeLacy's Nomad, a ship launched vessel which can descend from space to the planetary surface. The Nomad has quickly become a new favourite for explorers, with the new Mk II Biological Scanner enhancing Commanders' abilities to find signals whilst above the planet's surface. In our last dev log, we teased that there was more to the Nomad than met the eye, and as exclusively revealed by the Elite Partner Programme, we all got to enjoy their reactions to seeing the Nomad's doors open for the first time to reveal the ship's interior.

One of the biggest questions raised was why did the Nomad have an interior? There's some important game design decisions tied to this, which the Dev Log team tackled with Curtis Griffiths (Senior Designer), Chris Gregory (Art Director) and Gauthier Verquerre (Executive Producer).

Curtis: "One of our highest priorities with the Nomad was creating a ship which could access places on surfaces where the landscape is challenging. When the Nomad lands it's always flush to the ground due to the skids, where-as for other ships we need to ensure that the ramp deploys in a space which is accessible. The interior approach was necessary with the Nomad, because then we knew that even if the ship was landed on an angle, the Commander would always have an open space which is safe to disembark into."

Chris: "I mentioned in last month's Dev Log that the fantasy of having a small ship launched from a larger ship felt very classic sci-fi to me, and we approached the Nomad with that same almost 'unpacking' approach. We saw value in a multi-purpose space that would make the Nomad feel utilitarian."

Additionally, the Nomad's size played a role in why the team felt it was necessary to add a walkthrough interior to the space.

Curtis: "The Nomad is currently the smallest flyable vessel which the Commander is actually seated in, so we wanted to make sure it felt more intimate. The Nomad is the Commander's space, and we wanted to maximise that feeling, rather than have it feel like a tiny version of a mothership."

Gauthier: "The art team approached the Nomad knowing that it would be quite a small ship, but how 'small' the ship ended up being I think was a unique moment for us all as a team. From a game direction perspective, we have been considering a new small ship for a while and we wanted to expand our options when it came to those launched via another ship. Some of our larger ships now have huge spaces for hangar modules, and we thought another ship-launched option would lend something new to our explorers out in the black, bringing exobiology a method of quickly gathering samples which might be found in challenging places to perch a larger ship."

The Nomad has taken the galaxy by storm since launching, a huge o7 to everyone who's picked up this rugged little explorer so far and to those who are keeping the ship at the top of their list for the credits launch later this year. So, what are the team's final thoughts on this new explorer?

Curtis: "I love it, it's such a unique ship to fly and as a designer it's been great to give players a ship where this interior space and form actually lends function through the new Mk II Biological Scanner. Being able to identify an organic, land pretty much anywhere and hop out to investigate, feels like a really unique moment."

Gauthier: "One of the best parts about working on Elite Dangerous is seeing how our Commanders react to each new piece of content and utilise it in a unique way. The Nomad has been no different in that regard, it's clearly a favourite for exobiologists and explorers, but we've also seen Commanders attempting to adapt the ship for usage in conflict, or running surface stealth missions."

Chris: "We're incredibly proud of the work which the team have done for both the Nomad and for Operations, as both required some really unique art to bring them to life. I've loved seeing the reaction to the interior, but also for the ship as a whole, all the little details which our team put into the design."

If you're yet to experience the Nomad, you can purchase the standard, stellar or galactic editions now via the Arx Store!

Behind the Art of Operations

Following the launch of last month's Operations update, the Dev Log team caught up with two of Frontier's Elite Dangerous artists, Simon Brewer (Principal Artist) and Ari Bishop (Graduate 3D Artist) for a look behind the scenes at how some of the incredible new backdrops came to life, as well as some of the smaller details you may have missed...

What has been your favourite new art asset added as part of Operations?

Simon: "It's hard to choose! We built a new corridor wall-set, computer servers, ducting and conduits, lockers, and a cafeteria set to name but a few. We also have a new interactive fuse box with a slide out rack of switches, two bulkhead doors, and additional cargo props. All of these have been designed to fit seamlessly with our modular building system developed for Odyssey to expand our set of parts. Every room in the Megaship interior levels seen so far are brand new constructions built for Operations."

Ari: "I got the chance to work on a variety of assets for Operations, including the power conduits, new wall set, canteen set, mesh cargo holder, and computer kiosks. What I enjoyed most was that each one brought a different challenge and gave me the opportunity to create something that felt new to Elite. I was also given a lot of creative freedom when it came to designing many of these assets, which was incredibly enjoyable. Being trusted to explore ideas and then seeing those assets make their way into the game was a really rewarding part of the process."

"If I had to pick a favourite, it would probably be the computer kiosks. You'll see them throughout all the decks, and what I enjoyed most about creating them was the module slot that could be swapped out depending on the deck and the theme of the area. The main kiosk design stayed the same, but the module could be changed to better suit the environment it was placed in. For example, in the canteen areas the kiosks might contain trays and catering-related props, whereas in the habitat areas they could feature a terrarium and other decorative elements. I really enjoyed finding ways to adapt them to each space while keeping the overall design consistent. It was a small detail, but I think it helped give each deck a bit more personality and made the environments feel more unique and believable. Seeing them placed throughout the game and integrated into the different environments made all the work that went into them feel worthwhile."

Operations required a re-design and expansion of existing asset sets to suit new spaces.

What have been the artistic challenges to consider when working on Operations?

Simon: "There has been a lot of close work with design on the layout of the Megaship interiors, ensuing that they not only look good, but are fun to traverse around. We have also needed to consider the use of lighting and ways of signposting areas of interest to the player that have gameplay significance. Additionally, going back to the assets used on Odyssey and building new environments with all the new pieces we have added has been very exciting, and we keep coming up with more ideas all the time."

Ari: "Something we had to think about when creating new assets was making sure they matched the existing environment and art style, while still making them feel fresh and interesting rather than just more of the same. It was important that any new asset felt like it belonged in the world and didn't look out of place. At the same time, we didn't want to keep repeating the same shapes, forms, and ideas over and over again. We were always looking for ways to add something new to an area while staying within the style that had already been established. Finding that balance was tricky at times, as pushing a design too far could make it feel disconnected from the rest of the environment, but playing it too safe could make the space feel repetitive and less interesting for the player."

Have you noticed that the officers' space on megaships in Operations are different to those used by the general rank and file?

Are there any art details which you'd like to highlight to players?

Simon: "The cafeteria set with wipe-down plastic tables for the lower ranks, while the officers get polished wooden furniture to dine off is a particular favourite. I also really like the new heavy-duty power conduits that appear in several rooms, we'll be making much more use of those in future updates."

Ari: "One thing I personally love about Operations is the attention to detail in the environmental storytelling. We spent a lot of time thinking about how each space was used and how we could tell stories through the environment itself. Small details like the stickers on lockers or the interchangeable computer kiosks, which changed themes depending on the deck they were on, helped give each area its own identity and make the ship feel more lived in. One detail I especially love is the colour allocation across the Megaship. Cargo, Habitat, and Engineering all have their own distinct colour schemes, and those themes carry through into things like the lifts and signposting. While it was ultimately a design choice, it was also something we pushed from the art side to help tie the experience together. It not only gave each deck a stronger visual identity but also helped players navigate the space more naturally. For me, it's a great example of environmental storytelling doing its job. A Commander might not consciously notice every detail, but together they help make the Megaship feel like a believable place with purpose and structure."

Cargo deck in Elite Dangerous Operations

Habitat deck in Elite Dangerous Operations

Wayfinding around larger spaces is helped by colour coding key pieces of signage.

What do you have to consider about on-foot missions from an art perspective?

Simon: "Quite a few things, most importantly ease of navigation through a room, and always give the player several options to choose from when entering. The use of cover is important, especially when entering a room, and we try to build a lot of that into the area as part of the base room, then we provide Design with a selection of modular cover assets that can be moved and positioned as they playtest. We are also making more use of height and wider corridors, with extra pieces that slot in to provide interest and cover. Additionally, designing in modularity to the room and corridors, effectively providing an extensive kit of parts that let us create any number of interior layouts in future."

Ari: "As artists, I think we can sometimes get carried away with making assets look good and fit the environment they're going into, but it's a completely different challenge making sure those assets are actually functional as well. When the team and I were creating and designing new assets, we had to think about how they would be used in the space. Does it work well as cover? Can players move around it easily? Balancing visual quality with gameplay functionality was definitely one of the most important aspects to think about in terms of on-foot missions."

What about the Nomad, do you have a favourite new cosmetic or ship kit detail?

Simon: "The interior is a big reveal, there was a lot of work involved in refining the doors, animating everything and setting up the new interaction points with the chair. There are a lot of little details on the Nomad, we have a really striking ship design and modelling, some lovely texturing paintwork, and then all the little details such as the animating engines and the puffs of gas from thrusters."

Ari: "Ahhh, I love the Nomad. There are so many things about it that stand out to me for different reasons. The interior is one of my favourite parts, along with the additional interior ship kits, which gave players more ways to customise the space and make it feel their own. I also really enjoyed creating the bespoke textures. Because of the Nomad's scale, we had the opportunity to add a lot more detail than we normally would and really lean into the adventurer aesthetic."

"One of the aspects I enjoyed most was creating the dirt and wear masks. It was all about finding the right balance between making the vessel feel used and experienced without overdoing it. Seeing that dirt and wear carry through onto the paint jobs helped reinforce the idea of a vehicle that's constantly being deployed from its mothership and sent into more challenging environments. I really enjoyed thinking about where dirt would naturally build up and how different areas would wear over time. Those small details helped add a lot of character to the Nomad and made it feel like a vessel that's been on countless adventures rather than something that's just come straight off the production line."

Dirt and wear masks help each ship gain additional personality as they're used.

Operations is available now, for more information about how you can take part, visit our dedicated update page.

Other News

Key Operations Numbers

Courtesy of Technical Lead Roger, here's a first look at some of the early numbers behind Operations:

Over 130,000 Operations started
Over 75% of all started Operations were successfully completed
Most Popular Operation: Biohazard Takedown

Galnet Recap

It's been a busy month of Galactic news.

23 July 3312 - Colonia Supply Initiative Deemed a Partial Success
- The initiative to support Colonia’s tenth anniversary celebrations has been met with partial success according to organisers.
16 July 3312 - Colonia Calls For Assistance As Celebrations Get Underway
- Colonia is hosting a tenth anniversary celebration of its founding, beginning with a supply initiative located at where its historic story began.
13 July 3312 - Major Corporations Promote Colonia Celebrations
- Multiple corporations have supported the recent announcement of Colonia’s tenth anniversary celebrations.
9 July 3312 - Terri Tora Released By October Consortium In Surprise Move
- Terri Tora, the xenobiologist credited with triggering widespread interest in the HIP 87621 system, has been released.