“This is the most shameful thing you’ve done to date.” The latest Star Citizen update has infuriated fans, and no apology has been offered. The addition of pay-to-win items has pushed the community’s patience to its limits.

Since its early days, Star Citizen has stirred controversy, mostly because of its unconventional development model: selling virtual ships for eye-watering prices. Now, after more than 12 years and close to $800 million raised, fans have had enough. The latest update from Cloud Imperium Games introduced content that could only be purchased with real money—not earned in-game—which many saw as blatant pay-to-win. And the fanbase isn’t taking it lightly.

This controversial new addition is called Flight Blades—modular parts that let players tweak their ships’ handling or boost top speed. But as of the update’s launch, they were only available through direct purchases with real money. Or rather, *had been*: the backlash was so intense that CIG had to issue a statement, announcing that a new patch coming in June will make them obtainable with in-game currency. Developers insist this was always the plan — but the community isn’t convinced.

“This has to be a joke. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be in the game.”

That quote, cited by PC Gamer, appeared on Star Citizen’s official forums. One furious player added: “This is the most shameful thing the company has done to date.” With Flight Blade sets ranging from €10 to €40, Cloud Imperium Games attempted to justify the move by pointing to a packed release calendar—11 patches in one year instead of the usual four. “From the beginning of Star Citizen’s development, one principle has always remained: everything you can buy to support the game will eventually be obtainable in-game,” said community manager Tyler Witkin.

CIG Responds, But Fans Remain Skeptical

“Your contributions help the game move forward, but your in-game time should be equally rewarded,” Witkin added. “We’re fixing more bugs than ever, making incredible content, and moving faster than ever—but in this case, we moved too fast.” While the studio doesn’t plan to stop selling paid items, they’ve promised that smaller components like these will be available both with real and in-game currency from now on.

Even though the explanation makes sense given Star Citizen’s long development history, not everyone is satisfied. “The real issue is that you keep adding more and more items that impact gameplay more than the players themselves can,” one comment reads. Another fan argued: “These parts shouldn’t be in the store at all […] People are mad that you’re selling them for real money.” The accusations of pay-to-win aren’t new for CIG, but they’ve clearly intensified with this latest update.

All of this comes just months before Cloud Imperium’s usual annual showcase. Fans are growing increasingly impatient to see what’s next—especially since the long-delayed single-player campaign Squadron 42 is now scheduled to launch in 2026. Meanwhile, the Star Citizen universe will continue to expand with new features and content.

Source: 3djuegos