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Star Citizen upgrade backlash: Why game developers have pushed controversial feature
Star Citizen has been in development for a long time, with its first version launched over 12 years ago.
Star Citizen is changing a recent decision after receiving criticism from fans. The game’s developer, Cloud Imperium Games, has announced that its new Flight Blade ship parts will be made available to all players in June 2025. These components were first released on 15 May 2025, but only through the game’s Pledge Store. This led to complaints from players who felt the move was unfair and gave paying users an advantage.
Star Citizen has been in development for a long time, with its first version launched over 12 years ago. By mid-2013, it had already become the most successful crowdfunded game ever, raising over $9 million. Since then, fans have continued to support the game with even more funding.
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The Flight Blades, introduced in the latest update, are a new type of ship part. They let players boost either a ship’s speed or control, but not both. While players didn’t mind the parts themselves, many were unhappy that they could only be bought with real money—costing between $15 and $35 depending on the ship. They could not be bought with in-game currency, which upset many in the community.
To calm players, the developers have now confirmed that the Flight Blades will be added to the in-game store in the June update. In the past, extra donations through the Pledge Store gave early access to some game features. However, after hearing player feedback, Cloud Imperium has decided that smaller items like Flight Blades should be made available to everyone at the same time.
The studio also said 2025 will be an important year for Star Citizen. Despite staff layoffs at the end of last year, the developer plans to release 11 updates in 2025, much more than the usual four. Admitting the release of the Flight Blades was rushed, the team said: “In moving that fast, we missed a step.”
Star Citizen has always been funded through crowdfunding and recently passed $800 million in total donations. The original goal was to finish the game with just $20 million. Although there is still no confirmed release date for the full game, the recent increase in development work has given some fans hope.
