Star Citizen is an upcoming space sim video game for Microsoft Windows and Linux. Star Citizen is planned to consist of four main components: first-person space combat, mining, exploration, and trading with first-person shooter elements in a massively multiplayer persistent universe and customizable private servers, and a branching single-player and drop-in co-operative multiplayer campaign titled Squadron 42. The game is built on a modified CryEngine and will support all major VR headsets.
Both Star Citizen and Squadron 42 are set in a 30th-century Milky Way centered on the fictional United Empire of Earth (UEE), an analogue of the late Roman Empire. A central theme of the game is citizenship – or lack thereof – in the UEE, which must be earned through player actions such as completing a period of military service. It is anticipated that citizens will enjoy certain in-game benefits, like paying a reduced tax rate, but the exact details are yet to be determined.
A strong focus will be placed on player interaction, with player behavior influencing and being influenced by a dynamic economy system.
Star Citizen and Squadron 42 are produced by Chris Roberts’ company Cloud Imperium Games, Illfonic and its European counterpart Foundry 42 and marketed under the Cloud Imperium Games subsidiary Roberts Space Industries.
Given Star Citizen’s modular design and entirely fluid launch schedule, every part of the game is likely to arrive earlier or later than originally anticipated. Based on rough estimates, the final, finished game was supposed to arrive at the end of 2016, but considering we’re fast approaching the tail end now, that’s looking pretty unlikely.
If you’re desperate to get into space, there are plenty of ways to do it without waiting for the inevitable full retail release, though.