First contact has finally been made in Elite: Dangerous

For over 18 months, players have been following the breadcrumb trail of clues left by Frontier Developments towards the existence of aliens in Elite: Dangerous. And now, they've finally found them.

Back in April 2015 Frontier boss David Braben alluded to the fact there was more to be discovered in the game's vast world, sending players on a hunt for answers. They discovered mysterious artefacts and ruined spacecraft that hinted the Thargoids - an alien race that's been a part of Elite's history - were in Elite: Dangerous. After all this time, someone's discovered an alien spacecraft that is most definitely not a ruin.

A player on Xbox One going by the name of DP Sayre made first contact, posting a video of his encounter. It's very much worth watching it in its entirety - it's a masterclass in suspense, surprise and exquisite sound design, all of which combine to make the encounter feel truly special.

Frontier has seemingly confirmed via Twitter that the video is not a hoax, and since then other players have reported similar encounters.

As to the Thargoid's purpose and where they're headed, well... Players are speculating that these might merely be scout ships, and that while the encounters are currently peaceful they could be triggered into the violent behaviour they've exhibited in past Elite games. That's another mystery, however, which Elite: Dangerous players are enjoying unravelling right now.