In October 2012, Cloud Imperium Games embarked on a groundbreaking crowdfunding campaign for their ambitious project, Star Citizen. With a goal of $2 million, the campaign started on their own website, showcasing a trailer and captivating the interest of the gaming community. However, due to limited funds, they had to resort to using Kickstarter in parallel to meet the overwhelming demand. Fast forward to today, and Star Citizen has become one of the largest crowdfunded projects in the world, having raised a staggering $577,984,094 USD as of May 25, 2023. This article explores the reasons behind the decision to crowdfund, the benefits it brings, and the various rewards and stretch goals that have emerged along the way. The success of Star Citizen’s crowdfunding campaign can be attributed to the lack of competition at the time, the emotional connection established with the community through visual demonstrations, and the unexpected phenomenon of players buying and collecting multiple ships at different price points.
Crowdfunding Timeline
The crowdfunding campaign for Star Citizen began in October 2012, shortly after the game’s announcement at GDC online. Cloud Imperium Games decided to host their own campaign on their website to establish a direct relationship with the interested community. The original site showcased a trailer for Star Citizen and set a goal of $2,000,000 USD for development. However, due to limited funds and technical issues with the website, Kickstarter was used in parallel to manage the campaign.
The campaign proved to be a massive success, raising a staggering $577,984,094 USD (as of May 25, 2023), making Star Citizen one of the largest crowdfunded projects in history. The funding continues to steadily grow, with the game’s dedicated community showing unwavering support.
Why Crowdfunding?
Chris Roberts, the creator of Star Citizen, saw crowdfunding as the ideal financing method for the game. He believed that a traditional publisher would not fully understand or support his vision for an online game. Roberts initially planned to raise money from private investors and release an alpha version of the game with limited features. He intended to use the revenue generated from this alpha to finance the rest of the game’s development.
The crowdfunding approach allowed Cloud Imperium Games to break away from the constraints and deadlines imposed by traditional triple-A developers and publishers. It also eliminated the need to satisfy shareholders or make decisions based on financial interests. Backers of the game expect constant updates, and Star Citizen delivers these updates through their Comm-Links and their YouTube page, ensuring transparency and community involvement.
Crowdfunding Rewards
Star Citizen offers various rewards for different levels of crowdfunding support. Early backers have access to special rewards such as unique ships, which were initially conceived as tiered rewards to incentivize different levels of backing. However, it was unexpected that individual players would want to collect multiple ships and explore various professions within the game.
The game offers basic ship packages, ship sales, Squadron 42 monthly subscriptions, merchandise, and extras such as skins, hangars, UEC, and add-ons. These rewards not only provide backers with incentives for their support but also contribute to the financial success of the crowdfunding campaign.
Current Funding
As of May 25, 2023, Star Citizen has raised a total of $577,984,094 USD through its crowdfunding campaign. This impressive amount speaks to the dedication and passion of the game’s community. The ongoing funding allows Cloud Imperium Games to continue developing and expanding the game’s features, ensuring a truly immersive and captivating experience for players.
Trivia
Star Citizen holds the Guinness World Record for the most crowdfunded video game. This record-breaking achievement is a testament to the game’s popularity and the support of its enthusiastic community.
The success of the crowdfunding campaign can be partially attributed to the lack of competition at the time of its launch. Additionally, by showcasing actual gameplay rather than simply describing it, Star Citizen created a more emotional connection with potential backers, making the experience feel more real and enticing.
References
- How indie film financing could shape the future of games, Ortwin Freyermuth, GamesIndustry.biz, June 23, 2014
- Podcast – Gary Whitta interviews David Braben and Chris Roberts about Kickstarter, Elite Dangerous, YouTube, 5 Dec 2012
- Building Galaxies in Star Citizen’s Expanding Universe, Polygon, March 02, 2015
- Star Citizen Chris Roberts at BAFTA LA Januari 2015, YouTube, 21 Jan 2015
- Star Citizen Addicts Anonymous – Interview with Sandi Gardiner pt 1, Nichole D’Angelo, YouTube, 2 Mar 2015
- Chris Roberts On Life After Crowdfunding, Games Vs Film, Rock Paper Shotgun, Feb. 20, 2013
- Shroud of the Avatar Live Dev Cam, Richard Garriott, YouTube, 7 Apr 2013
- Most crowdfunded videogame, Guinness World Records, 22 February 2023
- Star Citizen: An Interview With Chris Roberts | Forbes, 18 May 2013
- Sandi Roberts Interview Part One…How Star Citizen Came To Be, Inforunners, YouTube, 25 Apr 2022
- SGJ Podcast #04: Chris. Freaking. Roberts., Space Game Junkie, 03/12/2013
