Star Citizen – The Ambitious Game Project by Cloud Imperium Games Surpasses $800 Million in Crowdfunding
Star Citizen, the ambitious game project developed by Cloud Imperium Games, has officially surpassed the staggering milestone of $800 million in crowdfunding after over a decade of development. However, as of today, the game remains in alpha version, with no clear signs of an official release.
Every year, the game’s CEO Chris Roberts makes a familiar announcement: “We are getting closer to realizing the dream of Star Citizen, but many believe it is still a long way off.”
The dream of Star Citizen has yet to see a concrete timeline for the official launch of version 1.0. As of the current date, Cloud Imperium Games has raised a total of $802,165,273 (approximately 21,000 VND) – an amount that leaves anyone in the gaming industry astounded. It is worth noting that this project has yet to see a complete release.
Initially marketed as a community-driven project, over the years, Star Citizen has shifted its business model towards microtransaction-based transactions. This includes selling access to the alpha version, subscription packages, in-game items, and especially, ships that can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Despite this, Cloud Imperium Games still maintains that every transaction is a “commitment” to help realize the project. Since 2022, Star Citizen has consistently raised over $100 million each year, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the project, even during its development phase.
From the beginning, Star Citizen has polarized the community into two distinct factions. One side consists of unwavering supporters who have faith in Chris Roberts’ vision and have remained dedicated to the project for over a decade. The other side comprises skeptics, often dubbed “whales,” who are willing to spend thousands of dollars just to own a single ship in a game that is still incomplete. In December 2024, alpha version 4.0 was released, introducing features like “server meshing” – allowing players to travel seamlessly between different areas without needing to switch servers. This is considered one of the significant technical barriers before the project can reach version 1.0. However, despite continuous updates, Star Citizen still has a long way to go before achieving a state of completion. According to the latest updates from the development team, the official version will include: a fully realized gameplay campaign, a robust player economy, a community-run server similar to EVE Online, a modular crafting system, and many other intricate features.
Chris Roberts firmly stated in March 2024: “1.0 is the destination – where the game reaches its defined state, friendly to new players while providing content to retain long-term players.” At that point, Star Citizen will no longer be an alpha or early access title.” However, that statement was made nearly a year ago. In reality, Star Citizen remains firmly in alpha.
