Star Citizen’s universe has never been quiet, but this week the buzz turned into a roar. Cloud Imperium Games (CIG), developer of the ever-expanding space sim, faced an intense community backlash over its new “flight blades” ship upgrades-initially sold only for real money. In a rare reversal, CIG is now delaying the flight blades launch and promising all future gameplay kits will be available for in-game currency the very day they hit the store.
Flight blades, designed to boost your ship’s speed and agility, were unveiled by CIG as their latest gameplay enhancement for Star Citizen. The catch? Early access was paywalled, with prices ranging from $9.60 / £7.30 up to $42 / £31.92—stirring memories of the game’s long history with real-money ship sales. That exclusivity didn’t last: after a wave of heated criticism on forums and social media, CIG announced they’re delaying the flight blade rollout until the June patch, when all players can earn them with in-game currency (aUEC).
“Throughout Star Citizen’s evolution, one fundamental principle has remained paramount: everything you pledge to support our development will eventually be attainable through gameplay,” CIG wrote in an official forum statement. They acknowledged moving too quickly this time, adding, “after some reflection, we’ve decided that for smaller components like flight blades or bomb racks, they should be available in-game at the same time they appear on the store.”
This marks a notable shift for CIG, who have often relied on real-money purchases (“pledges”) to fund development. Star Citizen has now raised over $816 million from 5.6 million backers, but despite its unprecedented crowdfunding, the game’s monetization methods are a perennial sore spot. Veteran players like SaltEMike and Incubbus voiced skepticism online: “This is a band-aid to calm people down, but the root issue here is that you continue to sell more and more items in the game that have a wider impact on what a player would do day to day.”
Under the new policy, all future gameplay upgrades—big or small—will be accessible with in-game currency the moment they launch, not after a paid exclusivity period. CIG also stressed that supporting development via pledges remains optional: “The choice has and should always be yours.” But the community’s trust is a work in progress, as many await June’s patch to see if CIG sticks to its word.
With the flight blades set to finally debut in June for both aUEC and real cash, Star Citizen’s next patch is shaping up as a key moment for the long-running project—not just for ship customizers, but for the game’s relationship with its vast, passionate playerbase.
TL;DR: Star Citizen’s new flight blades ship upgrades sparked major backlash when offered for cash only. CIG has delayed their release and will make them available for in-game currency in June, vowing that all future gameplay kits will launch with in-game access from day one—though longtime backers remain cautiously optimistic.
Source: Cloud Imperium Games via GamesPress