Star Citizen free to play until 15 February
Cloud Imperium Games (CIG), developer of Star Citizen and Squadron 42, is a new kind of independent studio dedicated to delivering AAA games outside the established publisher system. Founded in 2012 by renowned game developer Chris Roberts, CIG is shifting the paradigm of game development towards a more inclusive process, offering its global community an unprecedented level of visibility and engagement by granting ongoing access to a product in active development.
CIG is inviting new and veteran players to play Star Citizen during the first Free Fly event of 2024. From Feb. 8-15, everyone can play for free with access to five diverse ships ranging from the luxury Origin 400i touring ship to MISC’s solo mining vessel, the Prospector. Following December’s Alpha 3.22: Wrecks to Riches update, which features expanded in-game PvP content at Jumptown, new open-world derelict settlements, 20 new and diverse hairstyles, improvements to Arena Commander, and much more, there’s never been a better time to explore the ‘verse! For full updates on this February Free Fly event, visit the official page.
Coinciding with the start of the Free Fly event are two in-game celebrations for citizens; Coramor and the Red Festival, the in-game equivalent of Valentines Day and Lunar New Year. Coramor takes place from Feb. 8-15, celebrating the season of love and commemorating a tragic tale of lovers lost in space. Throughout the event citizens are encouraged to exchange gifts with loved ones, visit their favorite romantic destinations, or send comms into the vastness of space in the hopes of attracting new love. Couples can also join a special ‘Duo Showdown’ mode in the Arena Commander module that’s active throughout the event, achieving relationship goals as they attempt to defeat other pairs of pilots to earn a unique challenge coin. Learn more about the history of the event and this year’s festivities here.
The Red Festival, active from Feb. 8-26, commemorates the Lunar New Year of 2954, the Year of the Dog. As is tradition, red envelopes have been hidden throughout the Stanton system for lucky players to discover and sell to vendors for always-useful aUEC currency. While the Year of the Dog embodies traits like loyalty, kindness, and honesty, a new Arena Commander mode, Kill Collector, will require quick reflexes and killer instincts as well. This fast-paced FPS deathmatch mode will require players to loot lucky red envelopes from defeated enemies, earning their team points and rewarding players with a special challenge coin for their efforts. For a more detailed breakdown of Red Festival activities and rewards, visit its dedicated site.
During the Free Fly event from Feb. 8-15, players can enjoy testing the following ships for free:
Consolidated Outland Nomad: This small, flexible starter ship punches above its weight and is perfect for the solo pilot, coming complete with spacious living quarters and cargo space capable of transporting goods or smaller ground vehicles. It comes with strong defensive weapons and missiles to keep pilots safe throughout their travels.
Origin Jumpworks 100i: Luxury and performance go hand-in-hand with Origin’s entry-level touring ship. Leveraging Origin’s exclusive AIR fuel system, the 100i’s eco-friendly design greatly expands its range compared to similar vessels. Explore in style without sacrificing comfort!
Origin Jumpworks 400i: Designed for pilots in need of a larger vessel that can deliver in terms of speed, safety, and style, the Origin 400i exudes opulence with its sleek design both outside and within. Superb fuel efficiency and unexpectedly powerful shielding and armaments make the 400i a perfect vessel to tour even dangerous planets and regions in comfort.
RSI Scorpius: Get straight to the action with the Scorpius, a two-seater heavy fighter that brings surprising agility, powerful weaponry, and an iconic adaptable bi-wing configuration. An on-rails turret on the top of the ship affords unprecedented range and coverage in addition to its front facing cannons, making it a threat from any direction.
MISC Prospector: The Prospector comes with everything a one-pilot mining operation might need; a ship scanner to locate and analyze prospective ore, a retractable and adjustable frontal arm supporting a variety of mining lasers, detachable containers for easy storage and transfer, and a small complement of weapons to defend their claims.
The Star Citizen Free Fly event and Coramor events are scheduled to begin today, Feb. 8, at approximately 8:00 am (Pacific Standard Time) and will run through Feb. 15. The Red Festival begins on Feb. 8, and will run through Feb. 26.
To take full advantage of Star Citizen's first Free Fly event of the year, veteran pilots planning to crew up with friends are encouraged to share their referral code as part of a new Red Festival promotional event from Feb. 8-26. During the promotion, both the referring and referred players can earn the Drake Dragonfly Black, a useful ship that can traverse both ground and space, and a set of Red Alert gear that includes armor, backpack, and Ravager-212 shotgun when the referred player completes their purchase. Referring players will continue to earn the 5,000 aUEC bonus and points towards the Referral Program as well. New pilots ready to begin their journey in Star Citizen with new Starter Bundles should visit the Welcome Hub for helpful resources on how to get started.