In a recent lengthy Star Citizen Live session, two members of the ship teams, John and Ben, provided extensive updates on various ships and vehicles in development. They revealed that while the 600i rework is planned, it is not on the imminent schedule, focusing instead on ships with more pressing issues. Engineering features are nearly ready for most ships, with larger multi-crew vessels having physicalized components, while single-seaters will use fallback methods like MFDs for repairs. The team has also begun upgrading legacy ships like the Aurora series to gold standards, enhancing physical components and gameplay features.
The discussion touched on ship modularity, which is functional but limited by resource constraints, with the Retaliator and Caterpillar as prime examples of ships that could benefit from expanded modular options. The upcoming RSI Apollo triage and medevac ships are set for release soon with free modules available, though drones will debut later with base building. The Drake Command module, essential for ships like the Caterpillar and Ironclad, is scheduled for late development, pushing the Ironclad’s release beyond this year. Bespoke weaponry on certain ships offers specialized options without fully restricting weapon swaps, maintaining gameplay balance.
Power management regarding shields is set for a major overhaul with the engineering system, introducing backup shields that activate when primary shields fail, improving tactical resilience. Salvage gameplay will expand with medium and large-sized ships planned, potentially including an Argo salvager. Backlog ships face a balancing act between delivering new content and updating older ships, with some like the Endeavor awaiting gameplay support before release. Cargo systems such as the Gatac Railen pods will be visually refined and rebalanced for practicality and fun.
Other updates include plans to strengthen external doors against melee attacks through armor thresholds, the restoration of medical beacons for the Apollo launch, and no plans for PDCs on the Ironclad despite new PDC types arriving soon. Ship entry and exit animations remain lengthy but breaking out of them is a desired future feature. The Banu Merchantman ship remains in early development with a hoped-for restart in late 2026, emphasizing narrative integration. Additional features like internal ship liveries, detachable Carac cargo pods, and improved rearming and repair capabilities inside capital ship hangars are also under consideration or development.
Finally, the team is moving away from concept ship sales, preferring to release flyable ships upon reveal, with a massive new battlecruiser in very early concept stages planned for the future. Kruger ships are expected to expand, focusing on smaller luxury or racer ships rather than large vessels. The Wolf ship will receive its physical components soon after missing them at launch. Logging in and out of the game will be improved to not require beds, enhancing player convenience. Overall, while many features are still in progress or awaiting resources, these updates show significant strides toward deepening ship functionality and gameplay variety in Star Citizen.
