Star Citizen crosses $1 billion in crowdfunding as Chris Roberts eyes version 1.0

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Space Vapour: Since his Wing Commander days, Chris Roberts has always been one of the most ambitious game designers in the industry. Thanks to Star Citizen's undeniable crowdfunding popularity, he may have created one of the most successful games in history – without spending a dime of his own money, or even delivering a finished product yet.

Just one year after reaching $800 million in its unrelenting funding spree, Star Citizen has now crossed yet another significant milestone. The overly ambitious space trading and combat simulator, developed by Cloud Imperium Games, has officially raised more than $1 billion from enthusiasts and early backers. Game director Chris Roberts, meanwhile, is still talking about stretch goals and plans to add more content to his unfinished gaming universe.

Star Citizen's funding tracker currently lists 6,547,075 backers who have "donated" hundreds of millions of dollars since 2012. CIG states that the game's scope is determined directly by backer support, meaning more money funds more in-game content. The crowdfunding campaign started in December 2012, though CIG stopped publishing additional stretch goals after earning more than $65 million, a couple of years later.

In a recent interview, Roberts credited Star Citizen's success to gamers seeking an endless adventure in complex, detailed online worlds. His multiplayer universe can allegedly offer things that other entertainment products cannot, because traditional publishers – or even private equity ventures – are mostly focused on building finished products.

By contrast, Star Citizen is going to remain essentially "unfinished" for quite some time. Roberts and his team at CIG are now working toward the game's first "1.0" release, at which point it will no longer be considered in alpha. After that, the team plans to keep building the universe and adding new content, so that those adventure seekers can enjoy losing themselves in the space sim experience for years to come.

Roberts compared Star Citizen to World of Warcraft, an MMORPG that has been running for more than 20 years. The original WoW was released in 2004 and has since been reworked, expanded with multiple expansion packs, and graphics upgrades.

Star Citizen is also building its unprecedented crowdfunding legacy with some questionable marketing campaigns. Just before reaching $1 billion in funding, CIG introduced a limited "concept" sale for the Anvil Odin capital ship, with no actual 3D content yet available in the game. Backers had to pay $5,000 and write an essay to apply for a spot in the exclusive Odin Founders Club, with the actual game experience to follow at a later date.

One of the Anvil Odin "applicants" said he had already spent many hours with Star Citizen's alpha, and was happy to put that kind of money back into the game. CIG is also working on Squadron 42, a single-player experience set in the Star Citizen universe, which is reportedly targeting a 2026 release for a "finished' game.

Permalink to story:

Star Citizen crosses $1 billion in crowdfunding as Chris Roberts eyes version 1.0

 

[Squid Surprise]

Got to hand it to Chris.... not only has he scammed millions of people into giving his company a BILLION dollars, but he fully intends to keep scamming them for years to come... He's 57 now so... I figure he'll try to keep it going at least another 20 years... why bother retiring if you don't actually have to DO anything and receive millions every year?

 

[m4a4]

Got to hand it to Chris.... not only has he scammed millions of people into giving his company a BILLION dollars, but he fully intends to keep scamming them for years to come... He's 57 now so... I figure he'll try to keep it going at least another 20 years... why bother retiring if you don't actually have to DO anything and receive millions every year?

Oh? Has he finally left gamers high and dry without delivering any part of the epic space sim that has made considerable progress on over the last 13+ years?

Or are you not able to use the word "scam" by it's definition, and are just bandwagonning?

Lets stop watering down the word already and be intellectually honest on this tech forum...

 

[m4a4]

Kudos to whichever whales that are enjoying the incomplete universe enough to throw more money at it.

I guess I should re-download and boot it up on this free weekend and give it another try (with my new rig). It's been several years lol

 

[bviktor]

Or... just buy No Man's Sky for $20, with VR support. Made for $5m.

Ha made 3 games 3 decades ago. That's it. That's his credentials.

Then made Starlancer, which flopped. Then sold the studio to Microsoft.

Then went on to steal some German taxpayer money.

After leaving Digital Anvil, Roberts founded Point of No Return Entertainment, planning to produce films, television and games. However, no projects materialized from Point of No Return. Roberts founded Ascendant Pictures in 2002 and served as a producer for a number of Hollywood productions including Edison, Timber Falls, Outlander, Who's Your Caddy?, The Big White, Ask the Dust, Lucky Number Slevin and Lord of War, which were almost entirely financed by a loophole in the German tax laws that was finally closed in 2006. Roberts' activities as a film producer ended with the depletion of the funds raised by this controversial financing scheme.

Since then, for 15 years, he's been ripping off people with this scam.

What a fraud, Jesus. How the hell are people this stupid?

 

[yRaz]

Oh? Has he finally left gamers high and dry without delivering any part of the epic space sim that has made considerable progress on over the last 13+ years?

Or are you not able to use the word "scam" by it's definition, and are just bandwagonning?

Lets stop watering down the word already and be intellectually honest on this tech forum...

He's doing the bare minimum to stay out of jail for fraud. I'm a big EvE guy and I was really excited about this game. I bought into it and I check it a couple times a year now for probably a few hours. The game that got me so excited and hyped up all those years ago still doesn't exist. It says something when spreadsheet simulator is more fun than star citizen. And, yes, I paid $200 for a ship all those years ago

 

[Squid Surprise]

Oh? Has he finally left gamers high and dry without delivering any part of the epic space sim that has made considerable progress on over the last 13+ years?

No… he’s done better! He’s left them without a finished product - but given them just enough to keep them paying even more…

Or are you not able to use the word "scam" by its definition, and are just bandwagonning?

No, it’s still a scam… it’s just (barely) not a scam in the legal sense… they’ve change their EUL just enough to avoid jail time…

Lets stop watering down the word already and be intellectually honest on this tech forum...

lol, how about you try to be intellectually honest? Name a game that stays in develop for over a decade yet accepts payments of hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars for “future content”. Then frames it as a “donation” solely for tax purposes - and to avoid lawsuits?

Even those scuzzy mobile games like KingShot are more honest than this…

 

[m4a4]

He's doing the bare minimum to stay out of jail for fraud. I'm a big EvE guy and I was really excited about this game. I bought into it and I check it a couple times a year now for probably a few hours. The game that got me so excited and hyped up all those years ago still doesn't exist. It says something when spreadsheet simulator is more fun than star citizen. And, yes, I paid $200 for a ship all those years ago

At least that's more honest than the braindead "but everyone said it's a scam, so I am saying it is too!" people who aren't able to be honest in the public discourse. Life must be so easy when you don't have to put any thought behind a word lol

It's been so long since it was announced that I no longer care for the PvP (multiplayer) version, and am waiting on the SP launch. And then in the meantime, there are always games to play, so I can wait.
Do I wish the company used it's money better? Of course, there are a lot of things that looks poorly managed (especially in the beginning).
Do I think it's a scam? No, and we all know that there are money-hungry gov't agencies that would've come knocking if that were anywhere near true...

 

[m4a4]

No… he’s done better! He’s left them without a finished product - but given them just enough to keep them paying even more…

No, it’s still a scam… it’s just (barely) not a scam in the legal sense… they’ve change their EUL just enough to avoid jail time…

lol, how about you try to be intellectually honest? Name a game that stays in develop for over a decade yet accepts payments of hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars for “future content”. Then frames it as a “donation” solely for tax purposes - and to avoid lawsuits?

Even those scuzzy mobile games like KingShot are more honest than this…

Considering you just admitted it's not actually a scam (legally, aka by definition, is all that matters), yet keep saying it is says everything about you here

 

[Squid Surprise]

Considering you just admitted it's not a scam, yet keep saying it is says everything about you here

No… read carefully… I said it IS a scam. It’s just not “legally” a scam. It WAS a scam legally at first though - they had to change their EUL and actually refunded some angry scammed users years back… they’ve gotten clever since, and have avoided (for now) having to refund anyone else.

But murder is still murder - even if you are found “not guilty” in court. OJ, rest in peace

 

[m4a4]

I said it IS a scam. It’s just not “legally” a scam.

Yeah, you just keep tripping over your own feet.
Whatever makes you feel better for getting called out

 

[Squid Surprise]

Yeah, you just keep tripping over your own feet.
Whatever makes you feel better for getting called out

lol, I’ve been called out by far more knowledgeable users… too bad you don’t have an actual argument here, as I’m happy to debate.

 

[Kirby1]

I have played Star Citizen. It's very real and the scope is pretty huge. It's already extremely fleshed out, it's just missing a lot of QOL stuff that makes it easier to learn how to play.

It will release, it's not a scam. And Squadron 42 is near release, they have shown a lot of lengthy gameplay demos of it already. Star Citizen itself could take 5 more years, but it will release. TBH I think it's more like 3 years away, and Squadron 42 is 1-2 years away.

 

[m4a4]

lol, I’ve been called out by far more knowledgeable users… too bad you don’t have an actual argument here, as I’m happy to debate.

Bud, I appreciate the tiny bit of honesty regarding it not being a scam legally (the only one that counts), but the fact that you then immediately call it a scam shows how dishonest/inconsistent you are going to be in your "argument".

I have no desire to wrestle in mud, you can stay there with your watered down definitions.

 

[Squid Surprise]

By the way… take this snippet from the Star Citizen website:

The referral bonus gives you free gear for getting new players into Star Citizen.

The veteran player will receive their bonus immediately when the new player they’re referring pledges for a starter pack or ship (minimum $40) on the Pledge Store.

The new player's bonus will be granted once the promotion ends on May 27. Bonuses may be distributed in waves, so if you don't see it show up right away, it will do soon after.

Does that sound like a pyramid scheme? It should…. Because it is…

 

[Squid Surprise]

Bud, I appreciate the tiny bit of honesty regarding it not being a scam legally (the only one that counts), but the fact that you then immediately call it a scam shows how dishonest/inconsistent you are going to be in your "argument".

I have no desire to wrestle in mud, you can stay there with your watered down definitions.

So I understand your problem is you don’t like people using a word unless it’s true in an absolute legal sense… alas… this isn’t a courtroom, it’s an opinion forum.

I noticed your post in the “ray tracing scam” thread as well… the world isn’t black and white!

Just because something isn’t legally a scam doesn’t make it NOT a scam. I can go find an organized crime boss and refuse to deal with them - even if they’ve never actually been convicted, they’re still evil and dangerous.

Same goes for Chris Roberts - no, he hasn’t been convicted in a court of law but… anyone doing business with him is foolishly optimistic.

 

[nnguy2]

Got a free game code with my 290X 14 yrs ago. Haven't given a thought since then.

Howver, I have thoroughly enjoyed Elite Dangerous the past 12 yrs.

 

[dangh]

Original baker here. It was exciting... 14 years ago. With squadron planned to be released 2016. It wasn't and all the sheeps were all "it will release in 2 or 3 years, it's nearly done!"
10 years later and new sheeps singing the same song. Nah, thanks, elite, eve, x4, are all better and actually works. I know it is not a legal scam but only because law wasn't prepared for such an *******.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Averaging $153 / person is impressive. This is more like a live service game with the way they charge for better ships and such.

Can't really blame them for not launching if people keep giving them money. Then they can always blame issues on being in beta and probably create a sort of fake exclusivity for the supporters.

 

[Starfals]

This game is still alive? Lol. 1 Bil? 20 years later? What is this? Mr Dukenukem will surely get jealous. This is just like HL 3. I just dont care anymore.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

It's crazy there are still people here who will defend this heap of garbage. a BILLION dollars for a game that was supposed to be finished a decade ago, and a feature creeped single player campaign that is 8 years late, and the game STILL isnt done.

These same users will dunk on NFT bros but cant see the grift in their chosen Bing Bing Wahoo.

There are people that profit massively from scams. The people in the upper levels of MLMs come to mind. And you DO get a product from them. Doesnt mean they are not massive scams.

 

[UdyrL]

If this game ever gets completed, all the "Citizens" that backed this up will flood the internet with a collective "I told you so", even if they have to use the Thanos meme: "what did it cost you?... everything"

 

[Arthurik_jan]

I understand both m4a4's and Squid Surprise's arguments:

- there’s clearly a real, functioning product under development, and I think no one can deny that, just look at some of the latest footage from a YouTuber called Lofty and you'll understand.

- there’s also clearly been chronic overpromising and timeline failure. That is also a fact. I mean, they had a huge campaign promising a 2016 release, remember?

- and the business model itself is unusual enough that people project a lot onto it. I, for one, just can't remember any other game that basically monetized its development process in such an aggressive way!

So, it is understandable that people will think it's a scam.

I personally believe that there is a high chance it will be released, it is not a scam in the traditional sense, I bet tons of money has been mismanaged, but it will eventually release in the coming years.

An interesting question to ask is, would a game of this scope and systems even be possible without such insane levels of funding?

 

[Achaios]

It will release, it's not a scam.

Sure it will release but only when they find Jimmy Hoffa.

Oh and I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

 

[ZedRM]

This is the biggest scam in tech history.