Star Citizen Has All Your Money, Alpha Test Expands

How much of your money would you give to a crowdfunding project that aims to go to actual space, because it seems a lot of you like it out there an awful lot. Star Citizen, the crowdfunded game from Wing Commander Chris Roberts, just hit $25 million in gathered funds. For those keeping track, that means it's made $1 million extra in just the past week.

Roberts' isn't done yet, and took the opportunity to reveal the next stretch goal for the game.

Writing in his Letter from the Chairman, Roberts' says that the new funds will allow them to expand their alpha test plans by adding 50,000 new slots for players to fill. That should ultimately lead to a better tested, more stable game, and more opportunities for the likes of us to get our hands on the cockpit controls earlier.

If you've still pennies down the back of your couch, here's what happens when they reach $27 million:

Banu Merchantman Unlocked – Banu traders are renowed for their merchant prowess, traveling the spacelanes and trading with everyone from humans to the Vanduul! Their sturdy, dedicated trading ships are prized beyond all other transports, sometimes passing from generation to generation of Banu. At $23 million we dedicated additional resources to making Xi’An spacecraft a unique experience. At $27 million, we will expand that same thinking to the Banu! Starting with the merchant ship, the design team will expand Banu technology to offer players a completely different way of experiencing their universe.

I don't really know what that means, "a completely different way of experiencing their universe," but I like the word spacelanes.

Obviously Star Citizen comes from a developer with some pedigree, a compelling concept, and a link to a fondly remembered game, but it's also got all the hallmarks of a compelling crowdfunding project. Roberts' and his team have done a great job in making the game's development feel rapid and inevitable, through constant dev updates, new videos, and a clear roadmap for the future. All of this stuff builds confidence that things are happening behind the scenes, and gives the sense that your money is going towards something visible. Other projects need to start learning these lessons, and there'd be a lot less bad feeling about some recent Steam Early Access games if they'd begin the tradition of doing the same.

Check out the last trailer or, if you can't wait for this game to be done, check out Craig's hands-on impressions of the similarly space-bound X: Rebirth, which is out November 15th.