Star Citizen Raises Nearly $900M in Crowdfunding After Over a Decade... Is the Release Date Near?

Developer Cloud Imperium Games' has been very busy with Star Citizen. The space sim launched via Kickstarter in 2012 and even after all the support from fans and all this time, the game still hasn't launched yet.

Now that it has raised nearly $900M via crowdfunding, are eager fans finally going to get a release date for the game? Or is a full launch still far off?

Crowdfunding Campaign is Nearing $900 Million

Backers of the game or those interested in it can check out the official public funding tracker via Roberts Space Industries. The game has reached over $885M since the campaign launched via Kickstarter in 2012. Highlighting the feat is that fact that the developers' final campaign goal was only $65M.

The current figures is the total amount after Kickstarter pledges, private investments, as well as the ongoing sales of in-game packages and items.

With these numbers, the game has become the most lucrative crowdfunded projects, not just on Kickstarter, but in history.

The game is available to play via early Alpha access on Steam. However, a full release seems like it is still far off at this point. Despite reaching a crowdfunding milestone several times already, Cloud Imperium Games' is yet to finalise a full release for the game.

The good news is that players have been happy so far with what they have access to in the early Alpha.

What Is Star Citizen and Why Is It So Successful?

Star Citizen is pegged as the ultimate-space sim. The game is playable in four different modes: Hangar, Arena Commander, Star Marine, and Squadron 42.

Hangar is essentially a playground for players to modify their ships in. While they can't fly these ships, they're free to do as they please on the inside and they can fully understand the game's shipbuilding mechanics through it.

Arena Commander is the game's space combat simulator. In it, they can ride their spaceship and battle against other players or AI in intergalactic battles. There are several game modes within Arena Commander so there's variety in between rounds.

Star Marine is another combat simulator for Star Citizen but it's focused on in-ground fighting using conventional weapons.

Ultimate Space Sim Mode of Star Citizen

These three modes are tied together in what's called as the Persistent Universe. It's the ultimate space sim mode of Star Citizen which features Hangar, Arena Commander, Star Marine, and a dedicated in-game economy.

Squadron 42 is a story campaign that features a star-studded cast including Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Liam Cunningham, Gillian Anderson, and more. This mode hasn't been playable yet but it's suggested to come out in 2026. This mode is separate from the Persistent Universe and it features its own way of progression.

The scope and ambition behind Star Citizen is definitely grand and some players are saying that it might not live up to the hype when the game is fully launched. Only time will tell is the developers and their millions in crowdfunding and investments are able to create the ultimate space simulator.