Star Citizen feels like it’s flying through a sun with all the negative heat the crowd-funded game has been getting over the last few weeks. What started off as a delay to the FPS module quickly spiralled out of control, with vocal critic Derek Smart even requesting an FTC investigation into the project. Cloud Imperial Games is firing back though – in really the only way they can.
After having his backing refunded and his access to the Star citizen forums indefinitely put on ice, Derek Smart had more than a few choice words for RSI and Cloud Imperium – including claims that he was banned for no apparent breach of terms of service. Smart, like many other people, was extremely vocal about how the millions of dollars were being spent on the project, and if the entire thing was becoming far too big to ever hope for a proper launch.
Cloud Imperium Games director of community engagement Ben Lesnick understands the value of individual opinions, but thinks that a lot of the criticism for the game is misguided – and, worse still, misinformed.
“Everybody is welcome to their opinion. It’s not just Derek Smart. Ever since the beginning of this people have said it’s too big, they can’t do it, this is impossible. We aim to prove them wrong,”
Moving on to something a little more tangible than words, Lesnick promised that backers would see incredible progress in the coming weeks on the project. That not only acts as a test to see what RSI has been working on, but if the game will actually receive something more substantial than delays.
“We reached out to the community because they are the ones that would understand what a publisher wouldn’t. And I think that stands today. You’re going to see incredible progress in the next few weeks. It’s going to be good. But none of that criticism worries me because it’s not correct.”
Dispelling critics is a bold thing for Cloud Imperium to do, especially given the growing interest in refund support among the thousands of backers the project has. It’s another pitfall of crowd funding games – where backing is very different from a simple pre-order. The development cogs are in motion, so it’s within Cloud Imperium’s best interests to not give back money that could potentially jettison the project well out of financial scope.
But at the same time, they need to start doing something to quell all these fears surrounding the project. These next few weeks are going to be crucial for a game that, so far, hasn’t really proven much yet.
Last Updated: July 17, 2015
Umar
July 17, 2015 at 14:03
mmmm hmmmmm, you go girl. Prove em wrong!
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpjdqaTT3Y1qfph6q.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 17, 2015 at 14:13
And when it does I’ll be there…
Umar
July 17, 2015 at 14:18
Jokes aside though, I’m actually pretty sure the game is gonna be good. I personally don’t like all the paying hundreds of dollars for assets and stuff though.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 17, 2015 at 14:28
A while back the man said around 75% of backers were on the cheapest package & only about 10% even had more than 2 basic ships, so it’s not that many people buying them. I think they’re kinda silly doing it too, it’ll be much more rewarding to earn them in-game.
Umar
July 17, 2015 at 14:33
I’m not too hung up on selling extra things, I mean…look at the AAA industry. Just, GAAAD DAYUM it’s expensive doe holy crap.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 17, 2015 at 14:39
True dat yo!
In a way I think it’s good, if they were all $5 a pop everyone’d have them all like they’re pokemons & everyone would start the game flying an Idris.
CiNiMoD
July 17, 2015 at 14:14
Game comes out, has tons of bugs, critics complain. Game is delayed so that it can be the best possible game, critics complain. You’re gonna get the hate either way, so rather keep the fans happy and deliver the game you say you are going to…Im happy with the progress. I’d wait for 2020 if they deliver the game they promised!
Hammersteyn
July 17, 2015 at 14:26
I’ll probably get this…….on release
Dutch Matrix
July 17, 2015 at 14:33
Will you still be able to play games when you are 78 and in diapers?
Hammersteyn
July 17, 2015 at 14:36
By that time they’ll hook your brain into the game. Senility might be an issue though
Sageville
July 17, 2015 at 14:59
My Life Goal:
Beat my grandkids at whatever they playing, drop the controller, stand-up (slowly), throw gang-signs and yell “OLD SKOOL BITCHES!”…
Hammersteyn
July 17, 2015 at 15:13
Bwhahahaha!
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 17, 2015 at 14:45
Please, this is Hammersteyn, he will play games until he stops breathing
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 17, 2015 at 14:46
He won’t even stop then.
“I bet I can not breath for longer than you!”
“Fine, you win!”
HvR
July 17, 2015 at 14:36
*get and pay for
RinceThis
July 17, 2015 at 15:20
Why? Will they be spending the next few weeks in Hawaii spending all the money they’ve duped people out of?
disqus_g
July 17, 2015 at 15:35
The game only needed $2.5M to make. At over $80M raised, you are no longer pledging to help fund the game, but pre-ordering the game.
Ainar
July 17, 2015 at 16:18
Wow, the scale of your misinformation is probably even higher than a certain indie developer’s. The initial 2.5M was required only to prove to the VCs that Chris contacted that there is a market for a space sim. They would then shell out additional 10+M for CIG to be able to build the core functionality that will then allow them to get more money to actually finish the game with all the elements they envisioned. Yes, that was the real initial plan, it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t pretty but it was supposed to get the game done. Fortunately backers proved all of that unnecessary and allowed not only for the full development to be started from the very beginning but also to make the VC’s money completely unnecessary. At 80M raised we have the base development funded and, from the estimates shared so far, about 50M overhead that will go to completing stretch goals, continuous improvement and maintenance past launch (after all there are a lot of game copies there that will no longer be bought post launch and they need to reserve funds in case this is all the players we will have in the end). There is no pre-ordering here as there is nothing to pre-order yet.
GooseZA
July 17, 2015 at 15:48
Do yourselves a favour and pick up Elite Dangerous while you wait SC. It’s faaaaaantastic.
Gareth Smith
July 17, 2015 at 20:01
This ^… Awesome game. Still kinda figuring it all out, but hella fun for now. Will drop the cash on SC if Star Marine is as good as I hope.
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July 19, 2015 at 14:59
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