Star Citizen's single-player element, Squadron 42, is still "one or two years" away

[midian182]

What just happened? Even if you have no interest whatsoever in playing Star Citizen, the prospect of its Hollywood-star-packed single-player element, Squadron 42, is an enticing one. Unfortunately, the game is still at least one or two years away from completion, according to the developer.

It was way back in the pre-Covid days of 2018 when Squadron 42 got its all-star trailer showing off the likes of Gillian Anderson, Mark Hamill, Gary Oldman, Mark Strong, John Rhys Davies, Liam Cunningham, Ben Mendelsohn, and Henry Cavill. A few months later, developer Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) announced that it was scheduled to launch in summer 2020, but, as we know, that never happened.

Those anticipating the game’s release were especially disheartened in late 2020 when studio boss Chris Roberts said it would be “done when it’s done.” Squadron 42 was also conspicuously absent during CitizenCon last October.

For those hoping 2022 might be the year we finally get to see what could be a modern version of Roberts’ classic Wing Commander series, CIG's COO Carl Jones has confirmed in a recent issue of MCV/Develop that it's not going to happen.

It seems that CIG’s relocation of its headquarters to Manchester and plans to hire 1,000 extra staff is keeping Roberts, who had been living in LA, quite busy.

“I guess we’ll see how long [Roberts] needs to be over [in the UK],” Jones said. “But yeah, it could be one or two years more. He’s spending more time over here with the Squadron 42 team and with our other developers, but it’ll be this year when he moves over for longer periods of time. Hopefully, that means we can progress Squadron 42 through to completion faster. We want to get that game finished, but it will be finished when it’s ready.”

Despite now raising over $400 million in crowdfunding and having several playable elements in place, we still don’t know when the finished version of Star Citizen will arrive. The game went into pre-production around 11 years ago, and its protracted development is being exacerbated by Covid, so whether the single-player Squadron 42 campaign really does arrive within the next year or two remains to be seen.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/92980-star-citizen-single-player-element-squadron-42-one.html

 

[Theinsanegamer]

2016 release date, ladies and gentlemen.

just another $100 million, and scam citizen will launch for realsies this time!

A reminder, this game was supposed to have a 2014 launch date on a budget of $500,000, despire recieving 800 times that the game still isnt out in 2022, all while chris roberts enjoys his multi million dollar mansion, expensive cars, and a YACHT.

Textbook scam/feature creep gone wild.

 

[Lionvibez]

2016 release date, ladies and gentlemen.

just another $100 million, and scam citizen will launch for realsies this time!

A reminder, this game was supposed to have a 2014 launch date on a budget of $500,000, despire recieving 800 times that the game still isnt out in 2022, all while chris roberts enjoys his multi million dollar mansion, expensive cars, and a YACHT.

Textbook scam/feature creep gone wild.

lol the sun will turn into a red giant star before this game is released.

 

[Dimitriid]

I am honestly surprised they didn't announce NFTs already to scam even more money out of people.

 

[Aceseven]

I am honestly surprised they didn't announce NFTs already to scam even more money out of people.

they've hustled so much cash out of these simpletons they probably dont even care about nft's.

 

[Achaios]

Hahahahaha.

Biggest scam in the history of the gaming industry.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I am honestly surprised they didn't announce NFTs already to scam even more money out of people.

Like he said:

they've hustled so much cash out of these simpletons they probably dont even care about nft's.

While they didnt invent the NFT, EVE online has been selling unique ships that are NFTs in all but name for years now. Roberts has been selling ships with unique "IDs" and plots of vritual space for tens of thousand sof dollars for over half a decade now.

Chris roberts is the proto NFT griftman.

 

[derncricket]

I think this game must be made by the same company that does our road construction. Travelers desperately need relief from traffic. One new lane will take maybe 7-10 years. And no one is ever at the construction site.

 

[Revolution 11]

HAHAHAHAHA

Who didn't see this coming half a decade ago?

 

[m4a4]

Biggest scam in the history of the gaming industry.

By what dictionary definition? I have yet to see anyone parroting that be smart enough to apply one properly.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

By what dictionary definition? I have yet to see anyone parroting that be smart enough to apply one properly.

Scam: noun; "a dishonest scheme; a fraud."

Most people, if you asked them what they would consider a project that has recieved 800x as much funding as was required, is 8 years past it's original release date (2014), and still is missing over half of the promised features, yet seems to allow it's creator to live in multi million dollar houses and drive expensive supercars that always seem to appear after a new donation drive, would define this as a scam run by a master swindler.

Promises of content being released, features finished, and gameplay added have repeatedly been ignored, pushed back, or excused while new promises are lopped on top. This is dishonest behaviour. Anyone who invested int he original dream, any of the ideas that still have not been brought to fruition, yet saw their money go to something else (like chris roberts mansion or his ferraris) can easily define this game as a fraud.

There's also the question of how on earth he went through the first $100 million with a team of 20-30 people.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

A scam to surpass Cyberpunk 2077?

 

[Todd Sauve]

Clearly Chris Roberts is living high off the hog and just wants the gravy train to continue forever. I "purchased" the game so long ago I can't remember the year! It has yet to arrive and I don't know that it ever will ... We need a federal FBI investigation of this scam!

Maybe that why Roberts' moved the entire organization to the UK from the US, eh?

 

[Geralt]

Scam. They should be in jail.

 

[wiyosaya]

yet saw their money go to something else (like chris roberts mansion or his ferraris)

Clearly Chris Roberts is living high off the hog and just wants the gravy train to continue forever. I "purchased" the game so long ago I can't remember the year! It has yet to arrive and I don't know that it ever will ... We need a federal FBI investigation of this scam!

Maybe that why Roberts' moved the entire organization to the UK from the US, eh?

Roberts was wealthy before Star Citizen or Squadron 42 funding came along. Just because he may have bought a few things after SC/SQ42 funding does not mean that is where the SC/SQ42 funding went.

Interestingly enough, maybe its not the whole story, but CloudImperium Games has public financial statements - https://cloudimperiumgames.com/blog/corporate/cloud-imperium-financials-for-2020

I am sure no one will listen and will consider hearsay, rumor, and conjecture the ultimate in absolute fact about Roberts, SC, and SQ42.

Edit: I was going t mention that SC/SQ42 have a development team of some 600+ people spread over multiple offices as I have in other similar threads, but the argument seems pointless since the court of public opinion already has the whole operation jailed for fraud.

 

[wiyosaya]

I am sure this is yet another Star Citizen / Squadron 42 thread destined for locking.

 

[m4a4]

Scam: noun; "a dishonest scheme; a fraud."

Most people, if you asked them what they would consider a project that has recieved 800x as much funding as was required, is 8 years past it's original release date (2014), and still is missing over half of the promised features, yet seems to allow it's creator to live in multi million dollar houses and drive expensive supercars that always seem to appear after a new donation drive, would define this as a scam run by a master swindler.

Promises of content being released, features finished, and gameplay added have repeatedly been ignored, pushed back, or excused while new promises are lopped on top. This is dishonest behaviour. Anyone who invested int he original dream, any of the ideas that still have not been brought to fruition, yet saw their money go to something else (like chris roberts mansion or his ferraris) can easily define this game as a fraud.

There's also the question of how on earth he went through the first $100 million with a team of 20-30 people.

Beating around the bush.
Nothing in your reply properly implies there's a "dishonest scheme" or "fraud" about it. The best you have is that they were dishonest with their initial scope. But that does not fit the definition as you quoted. What is the scheme here? A bigger universe? Doesn't make sense, especially when their intentions from the start were to make as big a space sim as they could.
And they are public about their progress (while delivering progress that customers can play) while also posting public financial statements that show where the money is going. When did they up and leave with the money while not having delivered?

Also, the whole "creator has too much money" is about as dishonest as it gets, as wiyosaya outlined, especially without proof.
Is this even an honest attempt at applying the definition "scam" to the development?

At worst there has been mismanagement (and broken promises about release dates), but that doesn't qualify it as a scam.

So as I said, I have yet to see anyone parroting [scam] be smart enough to apply [the definition] properly.

 

[terzaerian]

lol the sun will turn into a red giant star before this game is released.

By the time Star Citizen is released, you'll be able to buy actual spaceships.

This will not deter Star Citizens from buying fake ones, though.

 

[Shear]

Beating around the bush.
Nothing in your reply properly implies there's a "dishonest scheme" or "fraud" about it. The best you have is that they were dishonest with their initial scope. But that does not fit the definition as you quoted. What is the scheme here? A bigger universe? Doesn't make sense, especially when their intentions from the start were to make as big a space sim as they could.
And they are public about their progress (while delivering progress that customers can play) while also posting public financial statements that show where the money is going. When did they up and leave with the money while not having delivered?

Also, the whole "creator has too much money" is about as dishonest as it gets, as wiyosaya outlined, especially without proof.
Is this even an honest attempt at applying the definition "scam" to the development?

At worst there has been mismanagement (and broken promises about release dates), but that doesn't qualify it as a scam.

So as I said, I have yet to see anyone parroting [scam] be smart enough to apply [the definition] properly.

Bro when you are promissing something you know you cannot make and take money for it, it's a scam.

They promised 100 systems with no instances but one universe. THEY CANNOT MAKE IT. They are now planning on "sharding" their player base. They are yet to show that they can even make this whole thing work in one system without crashing. They haven't yet done that. They still after 11 years of development don't have the fundamental tech they need to make this whole thing work without breaking apart.

Also, CR is taking dividends and paying himself and his family the type of salaries that are paid to the top 1% of the people in the world get and he has yet to release a product.

I was always under the impression that all funding money should go into the project not to pay the investors and yourself a crazy salary. So equipment and salaries to staff. Take a salary too sure to eat and live but bro he is making MILLIONS. This isn't just me saying that the UK part of the company needs to file yearly financial reports and his salary is in those reports for you to see.

This is 100% a scam now and people who refuse to see it are just simply too far in. It's crazy though because honestly when someone is taking advantage of you like that it's in your best interest to get out and not be bent over anymore yet it seems like people love a stiff one in the back. Just remember when the next "best" ship is out where a good portion of that money is going because it ain't development. Investors need their dough back.

I am so glad I never took part in this nonsense. My blood would boil knowing that the gamers made this whole thing into a thing but some scumback investor gets to actually reap the rewards of it. There is comedy in there somewhere.

 

[Revolution 11]

Star Citizen was the first real searing lesson about buying games. Never EVER preorder a game, no matter how cool it looks, no matter how good the hype is.

Do what drug deals do. Show the product first, then the money, then exchange. This is like pre-paying for your drugs 10 years in advance.

 

[wiyosaya]

Bro when you are promissing something you know you cannot make and take money for it, it's a scam.

They promised 100 systems with no instances but one universe. THEY CANNOT MAKE IT. They are now planning on "sharding" their player base. They are yet to show that they can even make this whole thing work in one system without crashing. They haven't yet done that. They still after 11 years of development don't have the fundamental tech they need to make this whole thing work without breaking apart.

Also, CR is taking dividends and paying himself and his family the type of salaries that are paid to the top 1% of the people in the world get and he has yet to release a product.

I was always under the impression that all funding money should go into the project not to pay the investors and yourself a crazy salary. So equipment and salaries to staff. Take a salary too sure to eat and live but bro he is making MILLIONS. This isn't just me saying that the UK part of the company needs to file yearly financial reports and his salary is in those reports for you to see.

This is 100% a scam now and people who refuse to see it are just simply too far in. It's crazy though because honestly when someone is taking advantage of you like that it's in your best interest to get out and not be bent over anymore yet it seems like people love a stiff one in the back. Just remember when the next "best" ship is out where a good portion of that money is going because it ain't development. Investors need their dough back.

I am so glad I never took part in this nonsense. My blood would boil knowing that the gamers made this whole thing into a thing but some scumback investor gets to actually reap the rewards of it. There is comedy in there somewhere.

When I hear things like this without any links to proof of what is claimed, particularly about the salaries that are being paid to Roberts and others, I file it under "Alternative Facts". Now if you provide links that provide definitive proof of what you say, then anyone reading might be able to discern whether or not what you are saying is based on a rumor. Because right now, I've heard nothing but rumor.

 

[Aceseven]

A scam to surpass Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk wasnt a scam, it was just a badly made game that didnt hit all of its promises, but it does exist, crippled, but exist.

star citizen is a scam in every way though.

 

[Shear]

When I hear things like this without any links to proof of what is claimed, particularly about the salaries that are being paid to Roberts and others, I file it under "Alternative Facts". Now if you provide links that provide definitive proof of what you say, then anyone reading might be able to discern whether or not what you are saying is based on a rumor. Because right now, I've heard nothing but rumor.

Bro, it's not a rumor. These files are in the public domain. If you actually, genuinely cared about the truth you would have looked it up yourself. But it's difficult to look at stuff like that and admit to yourself that you were taken for a ride. I understand why people just deflect instead.

So here I did the legwork for you.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08815227/filing-history

It's the first file.

I'll even sum it up for you.

From PDF page 8: "Directors: Ortwin Freyermuth, Christopher Roberts, Erin Roberts, Ezer Klein, Marc Nitsche, Sandi Roberts" (Ezer and Marc are from Calders investment)

PDF page 8: "ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £1,007,559" (cash in the pockets of shareholders)

PDF p15: "all attributable to the owners of the parent company" (money moves to and from the main Cloud Imperium company in USA)

p21: "purchase of intangible assets £2,064,144 (no idea what this is)

p21: "purchase of associates (in 2019) £826,657" (CI UK bought 25% of Turbulent, more below)

p31: "Turnover, Sales £31,762,819 in 2020, up from £23,115,290 in 2019" (total money brought into UK companies)

p31: "In the opinion of the Directors, analysis of turnover based on geographical location would be seriously prejudicial to the interests of the Group, therefore this has not been disclosed" (which countries/companies does the £31,762,819 come from? they aren't telling)

p32: Directors' remuneration: £414,359 in 2020, up from £363,425 in 2019

p32: Remuneration to the highest-paid director: £292,322 in 2020, up from £283,192

p33: "Video games tax credit payable to the group of £4,731,677" (it's a pledge from the UK government, no refunds)

p38: "Subsidiaries: CIG UK, Cloud Imperium Rights UK, RSI UK, RSI Germany" (it's turtle shells all the way down)

p38: "Associates: Turbulent Media Inc, 25%" (CI UK own part of Turbulent)

p40: "The company transferred £1,000,000 from its share premium account to its profit and loss reserves as a capital reduction transaction." (someone cashed out £1m of shares)

p41-43: (details of some money moves to and from the main Cloud Imperium company in USA)

 

[Puiu]

I am honestly surprised they didn't announce NFTs already to scam even more money out of people.

Don't you worry. NFTs will 100% be used for "funding".

 

[DaveBG]

Wait a second I remember their paid posters said that the game is not a scam since you cannot play it if you do not install it on SSD ??? LOL LMAO Years later I am sure they will defend it again.