As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of gaming projects that have taken longer than expected to reach completion. However, Star Citizen’s 12-year development journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Even former and current developers seem to be growing weary of the way things are going at Cloud Imperium Games, as reported by Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming.
12 years on, with nearly $800 million invested, Star Citizen continues to be in production. It seems that even some former and present developers are expressing dissatisfaction about the development progress of Chris Roberts’ latest game. This information was shared by Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming.
It’s hardly shocking to hear about issues with Cloud Imperium Games and their game SC, given its long history in early access – now spanning 12 years without a full version release. Even setting aside past reports (like the layoffs at the start of the year), it’s challenging not to harbor doubts about the progress of the game’s development. The current version may be playable, but there’s little sign that the promised “1.0” release is imminent.
Crunch before CitizenCon
Previously, we discussed Erin Roberts’ sequence of actions, who holds the position of Global Production Director. According to reports from Henderson, it was mandated that Cloud Imperium Games team members would have to work for at least eight hours daily, including weekends, until October 19th.
Originally, this was intended to pertain to the preparations for the approaching CitizenCon event. However, following the attention drawn by Insider Gaming, adjustments were swiftly made, resulting in a designated day off on Sundays, under the condition that a specific developer works 58 hours from Monday to Saturday without pay.
Beyond the question of legality, those in the studio (contacted via the website) are convinced this isn’t just happenstance. They believe that Cloud Imperium Games requires a comprehensive restructuring of its systems if the leadership aims to avoid impending catastrophe.
Current expenses
Tom Henderson is said to have contacted multiple ex-employees and present staff members from the company, while simultaneously mentioning financial details related to Star Citizen’s development. The $790 million raised so far is a massive sum, yet it’s projected that CIG should have earmarked approximately $130 million for development in 2022, with a total of $637 million set aside since 2012. Given the ongoing increase in spending, there might be questions about whether the studio has substantial additional funds tucked away.
Indeed, such expenses can be rationalized given the complex nature of Star Citizen, frequently dubbed as the “epitome” of space simulation games. However, it appears that CIG may not be utilizing funds optimally, as suggested by Henderson’s sources.
Frankenstein and “pushing boundaries in game development”
The leadership at Cloud Imperium Games frequently employs this rationale for their studio’s costs, including expenses such as designing the interior of their new Manchester office, which mirrors the fictional SC universe. One employee, who spoke with Henderson, likened the CIG headquarters to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory – more focused on aesthetics rather than practicality.
Regarding functionality, those interviewed by Insider Gaming weren’t overly positive about the technology in SC. They likened Star Engine to Dr. Frankenstein’s monster – a haphazard combination of parts that are frequently altered by the development team on a daily basis. It’s not hard to imagine that this doesn’t simplify their tasks.
The same sentiments are echoed by both ex- and current CIG employees regarding the creative process. Chris Roberts, known for his meticulous nature, makes daily modifications that extend the team’s work by several weeks. These adjustments concern crucial aspects as well as minute details, like the positioning of objects that players may never encounter. Consequently, the studio seems to prioritize these refinements over completing the game, and the team is accused of repeating mistakes made by other studios two decades ago.
At times, Roberts might go over the fundamentals several times, only to eliminate or modify them during his seventh round of revisions.
As a gamer, I found myself stuck in a game where the environment was toxic and progress was stifling. It felt like I was repeatedly making the same old mistakes that other games had already mastered decades ago. This lack of innovation was hindering the potential greatness of the game’s grand ambitions.
Consequently, numerous studio staff members are either departing or contemplating doing so. This is largely due to rumors about the halting of salary increases and advancement opportunities.
Nothing new…
To clarify, it’s important to note that Henderson’s findings aren’t exactly novel. In fact, much of the data he gathered had already been disclosed earlier. For instance, the revelation about almost entirely using funds for development can be found in the 2022 financial report, which was made public on January 1, 2024. This appears to align with the information regarding layoffs as well.
Multiple times, Chris Roberts’ meticulousness has been discussed. Looking back at incidents from 2015 and 2019, along with a notable comment from him in 2020 about Cyberpunk 2077’s unfinished aspects, underscores his attention to detail. Regarding crunch, it’s not just CIG that experiences it – long hours and high pressure are frequently reported across the video game industry.
Some followers argue that Henderson seems more focused on generating excitement than delivering established facts. They are well aware that Cloud Imperium Games has its imperfections.
Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Star Citizen is a special case. Even if we agree with the increasingly popular statement that video game development never ends and that work on it merely stops, not releasing a game after 12 years and almost $800 million in funds collected from players is going a bit too far.
…and a lot (?) of new things in update 3.42.2.
As a devoted fan, it’s crucial to acknowledge that Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) certainly isn’t operating covertly. In fact, just recently, we’ve seen the launch of Star Citizen‘s update 3.42.2. This latest release didn’t just bring balance adjustments and optimizations, but also introduced novel cave types, customization options, and new ships. These additions seem to have rekindled the players’ excitement and sparked a significant resurgence in the game’s popularity.
By September, one developer had informally dubbed the update as “4.0 Lite”, giving a glimpse of what we might expect from the fourth version of SC. If current speculation is correct, the full version is expected to be launched this year, but it has already laid the groundwork for patch 3.42.2.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=-52743
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2024-10-18 15:32