Frontier Developments has announced that Elite Dangerous is getting a new expansion that comes with Planetary Landings, with Elite Dangerous: Horizons, check out the full press release for all the details.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons is a season of major gameplay expansions for Elite Dangerous, beginning this Holiday with planetary landings on 1:1 scale worlds across the Elite Dangerous galaxy. Elite Dangerous: Horizons will continue to introduce major new features and gameplay as the season continues into 2016, enriching the Elite Dangerous experience with new activities and new ways to play.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons’ Planetary Landings expansion introduces players to planet surfaces and the new Surface Recon Vehicle (SRV) ‘Scarab’. Scanning worlds will reveal all-new surface gameplay opportunities as players detect signals, crashed ships, mineral deposits, outposts and fortresses, and embark on raids on the surface. Playing alone, or with friends on the ground and in the skies above, players can explore, mine, engage hostile forces and attempt to infiltrate strongholds guarding valuable rewards.

The 400 billion star systems of the Elite Dangerous galaxy are all created with a sophisticated simulation that re-creates the Milky Way in exacting detail, and that simulation continues to the surfaces of worlds. Players will seamlessly journey from space to surface, coasting over mountaintops, diving into canyons and venturing out on the ground in the SRV, without loading screens or breaks in gameplay.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons' second major expansion will arrive in Q1 2016, introducing a new loot and crafting system to the Elite Dangerous galaxy along with other features and gameplay additions to be announced later this year. Further updates will continue into 2016.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will launch this Holiday for £39.99 (€49.99, $59.99), unlocking a full season of major expansions and gameplay updates. Existing Elite Dangerous players will receive a £10 (€14, $15) loyalty discount off the retail price and unlock the exclusive ‘Cobra Mk IV’ in-game spacecraft for purchase with in-game currency in Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

All Elite Dangerous and Elite Dangerous: Horizons players will retain their progress and continue to fly together in the same galaxy as one community, and all Elite Dangerous players will continue to receive free updates, fixes and optimisations as the game evolves alongside Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will launch Holiday 2015 for PC and is available for pre-order now. Mac and Xbox One announcements will follow.

But that is not all the news, as Elite Dangerous is coming to Xbox One next month, alongside the major CQC content update, which will also hit PC and Mac at the same time.

Instant-action PVP will come to the Elite Dangerous galaxy on all platforms in the Close Quarters Combat Championship. CQC is the ultimate 34th century gladiatorial contest between Elite Dangerous pilots, thrusting players into intense PVP action in custom-built arenas set within the Elite Dangerous galaxy. Equip a unique loadout on your Sidewinder, Eagle or new Federal Fighter craft and earn XP to unlock new weapons, modules and abilities in the race to Elite.

The CQC game update will be available in September, followed this Holiday by another major content update for all Elite Dangerous players. ‘Ships’ will bring the total number of spacecraft to over 30, and will prepare the game for Elite Dangerous: Horizons.