Elite Dangerous Crime Overhaul Arrives in December, Anaconda Mk II Hits ARX Early Access in October

Frontier has outlined the next major free update for Elite Dangerous, and it’s focused on crime. Law & Disorder is due in December and will rework how piracy, smuggling, fines, bounties, authority response, and criminal status work across the galaxy.

The studio also confirmed the next ship coming to the game: the Anaconda Mk II. The redesigned Faulcon DeLacy vessel will launch in ARX Early Access in October, though pricing wasn’t included in this dev log.

Law & Disorder is being pitched as a broad cleanup and expansion of Elite Dangerous’ crime systems. Frontier says the goal is to make illegal careers more viable without making consequences feel random or overly punishing. Piracy and smuggling are getting another pass, while criminal activity will be tracked with clearer rules around where you’re wanted, how serious your crimes are, and what options you have to clear fines or bounties.

One notable change is how visibility affects punishment. If a crime goes unseen, such as killing the last witness at a settlement, it may not be reported and your identity may stay unknown. Repeated visible crimes in the same ship, meanwhile, can draw more attention from authorities. PvP crimes will be handled separately under the Pilot’s Federation, with more details planned for a future dev log.

Frontier also says it wants to reduce frustration around minor infractions, especially accidental fines that can escalate. Anarchy systems are getting changes too, aimed at stopping them from effectively disappearing and giving pirates and smugglers more reliable pockets of space to operate from.

As for the Anaconda Mk II, it’s not just a visual refresh of the long-running large ship. Frontier says the new version keeps the broad identity of the original while adding SCO compatibility, a raised cockpit for better visibility, a reshaped nose, and a new forward-deploying large hardpoint built into the hull.

More specifics on Law & Disorder are still to come, including new modules, criminality tiers, jurisdiction, and how clearing crimes will work.

Further reading: Official Elite Dangerous September 2026 Dev Log