The Project Is Still in Development

Star Citizen is a video game funded by players. It started development 13 years ago. The game is still in alpha stage today.

The project launched on Kickstarter in 2012. Chris Roberts created the game. He also made Wing Commander and Freelancer. His studio is called Cloud Imperium Games.

The game still has no release date. But it will reach one billion dollars in funding by early 2026.

Players Can Already Play Parts of the Game

The game has been partially playable since 2013. The studio releases updates regularly. Players can visit some planets in the game. The developers designed these planets by hand.

The studio promises entire universes to explore. They say there will be no loading times.

How the Game Makes Money

The studio doesn’t just sell the game. Players can buy spaceships with real money. Some ships cost nearly $1,000.

Multiple players can use one ship together. This helps share the costs. Players can also buy insurance for their ships. They can buy skins and weapons too.

Some ships are not in the alpha version yet. They will come with the official release.

The Game Has Many Critics

Many people criticize Star Citizen. They say development takes too long. They say the promises are impossible to keep.

But hardcore gamers still love the game. PC Gamer reported that funding reached $800 million in April 2025. It will hit $1 billion in early 2026.

Selling powerful ships for real money creates problems. Players can attack each other. This makes the game unfair.

What’s Coming in 2026

New features will arrive in 2026. Players will be able to craft items. They can play dungeons together.

The final release is now planned for 2028. Chris Roberts announced this date. The release has been delayed many times before.

Squadron 42: The Solo Game

Cloud Imperium Games has another project. It’s called Squadron 42. This is a solo story game.

The game uses the Star Citizen universe. It has famous Hollywood actors. Gary Oldman is in it. Mark Hamill, Gillian Anderson, and Mark Strong are too.

Nobody knows the release date yet. Chris Roberts once hoped for 2026. The game will come out in episodes