Summary
Cloud Imperium Games, the studio behind the in-development space trading and combat game,Star Citizen, has reportedly laid off an unspecified number of staff members. The layoffs come amidStar Citizen’s annual ship showcase, the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo, the run-up to which saw Cloud Imperium staff working consecutive seven-day weeks.
The space simulator has raised an eye-watering $700 million in funds over the past 12 years, makingStar Citizenfar and away the most expensive game ever put into production. Despite the extended timeline and enormous expense, the game remains in early-access alpha, with only limited content available, andthe inability to maintain persistentStar Citizencharacter stats.
Asfirst reported by Insider Gaming, sources have confirmed that a number of employees have been released over the past several days, though the extent of the layoffs remains unclear. One of Insider Gaming’s sources put the number of those affected at 12, representing about 1% of the company’s workforce. While those purported numbers are still low, the studio has a history of letting employees go over periods of time, with theStar Citizendeveloper’s last round of layoffsoccurring over several weeks.
More Layoffs but No Timeline for Full Release
The move reportedly comes with no compensation for released employees and is occurring right on the heels of an intensive period of mandated seven-day work weeks that led up to the IAE event. The IAE is one of many similar in-game events that showcasenew ships available inStar Citizen, and allow prospective players to play the game free for a short period of time. With no formal announcement from the company at present, the full scope of the layoffs, and the reason behind them, remains unknown.
Having let around a hundred employees go in early 2024 amid accusations of fostering a toxic work environment, and despite failing to announce a release date for the full version of the game,Cloud Imperium Games continues to pile up cash.The company’s financial reportsshow development costs hitting over $100 million annually for the past several years. How long that kind of spending can continue without a fully published title remains to be seen.
Even without a clear roadmap for a full release, development appears to be moving forward, with a new star system and other content slated forStar Citizen’s latest update. However, the massive game originally pitched to crowdfunding investors still seems light years away, with some critics wondering if the finished game will ever go live.
Star Citizen
WHERE TO PLAY
Star Citizen gives you unlimited run of the Stanton system, a vast sandbox of life-size planets, moons, cities, space stations, asteroid belts, and more. With unmatched beauty, diversity, and danger in equal measure, you never know what’s waiting for you when you take flight.You can be whoever you want and explore the stars on your own terms. You can mine ore, haul cargo, salvage space wrecks, hunt bounties, become a mercenary, or even take up a life of crime. Fly and drive a vast variety of vehicles and play how you want to play - the possibilities are endless.How you deal with danger is up to you – stay safe in the regulated sectors of the system, arm up and tackle threats head-on, or turn to a perilous life of crime and get your cut of the action. Stanton’s booming black market offers opportunities to earn a crooked living if a hard day’s work isn’t for you.Star Citizen is currently in the “Alpha” stage of development, with each update adding new features, technology, and gameplay to grow and evolve with players.
