The space MMO Star Citizen is a phenomenon. Although it has been in early access since 2016, some key elements are still missing from the game. The hype in the community, however, continues, and funding is ongoing. One option is the new, extravagantly expensive spaceship that has now been released.
What kind of update is this? Officially, Star Citizen is now in Alpha 3.20. The accompanying patch brought revisions for the Commander mode, new PvP content, race tracks, an overhaul of freight shipping, new missions, and two new ships.
One of them is the MISC Hull C, referred to as the “Titan of freight shipping.” It has room for four players and fits perfectly with the new revisions that came with the patch.
But the price is steep. While there have been several vehicles before that cost between 30 and 250 dollars, the MISC Hull C is more in the upper categories. At 500 dollars, it is certainly not the most expensive ship in the game, but it is among the top 25.
At the top is the Javelin, a destroyer that costs $3,000 but can accommodate up to 80 people. This is currently the most expensive ship in the game and is not aimed at solo players, but is generally regarded as a “guild investment.”
100 million per year, but a release is not in sight
How is the MMORPG doing? It depends on the perspective. Financially very well. Just in September 2022, the game broke the $500 million mark, and a year later, it has risen even more significantly. The developers have now raised over $604 million.
However, internally there seems to have been a bit of a stir:
- An former developer complained that expensive artworks were purchased for the office walls instead of hiring more staff.
- There were also rumors that there had been layoffs, which were denied by Star Citizen itself.
The new headquarters in Manchester is reportedly so spacious that the company aims to expand to 1,000 employees in the long term.
In the community, there is a divided view. Some are pleased with the progress the space MMORPG is making, while others are disappointed that the solo campaign Squadron 42 still hasn’t been released.
A YouTuber criticized that Star Citizen has promised faster development for 10 years, but seems to be slowing down instead:
Outwardly, Roberts Space Industries appears rather calm. They have a lot of money, many ideas, and the player numbers are good. That the development takes so long has, at least at first glance, no negative consequences.
However, there was some mockery last year when the developers actually spoke of a release date. It was said that they want to be a major MMORPG by 2027: MMORPG Star Citizen talks about release date – fans mock and groan.
What do you think about Star Citizen and the costs for a ship? Have you invested in the game yourself or are you remaining skeptical?
