Elite: Dangerous will add a Carrie Fisher tribute station in the 2.3 update

2016 was a rough year for celebrity deaths, and the untimely passing of Carrie Fisher earlier this week struck sci-fi fans especially hard. She was a noted author and Hollywood script doctor, but it was her portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films that brought her greatest fame. To honor the significance of the character and the actress who brought her to life, Frontier Developments announced that a new outpost bearing her name will be added to Elite: Dangerous

"Sad news indeed," executive producer Michael Brookes posted on the Elite forums. "A 'Fisher's Rest' outpost will be added to the game in the 2.3 release." 

Fisher's Rest won't be the first tribute station added to Elite: Dangerous. In 2015, WCM Transfer Orbital in the Vulcan system was renamed to Leonard Nimoy Station in honor of the late Star Trek actor, and one named Pratchett's Disc was added following the passing of Discworld author Terry Pratchett. It isn't the first videogame tribute to Fisher, either: shortly after her death, thousands of Star Wars: The Old Republic players came together in a remarkable impromptu gathering to celebrate her life. 

The Elite: Dangerous 2.3 update is currently expected to go live in early 2017. 

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.