The latest Star Citizen update reveals significant ship nerfs, especially drastic reductions in cargo capacity for larger Hull series ships, alongside upcoming armor releases and enhancements to ship functionalities aimed at improving gameplay balance and performance. Additionally, several new ships and vehicles with crafting capabilities were unveiled, marking a major shift towards integrated resource management, though some developments remain on hold pending crafting system progress.
In the latest Star Citizen ship and vehicle update, the developers provided significant insights into upcoming changes and new releases. They emphasized their commitment to reducing the backlog by focusing on ships with fully functional primary use cases, steering clear of concepts without gameplay readiness. Notably, armor is nearing release with patch 4.5 and promises to greatly enhance ship survivability, especially for smaller ships and ballistics. Additional features like a night vision system for ship canopies and improvements to ballistic weapon reloading were also discussed, though some features remain in early development stages.
Ship updates are categorized into “gold standard” and “Mark 2” treatments. Gold standard updates involve minor tweaks to preserve the original ship design while improving functionality, such as the upcoming Aurora Mark 1, which will gain weapon slots and internal space enhancements. Mark 2 updates are more substantial, offering bigger and better versions of existing ships, with both types expected to release in the first half of 2026. The Polaris is slated for interior updates based on player feedback, though no timeline is set, and changes to its torpedo system are expected soon, albeit with limited impact on gameplay.
Cargo capacity changes represent some of the most dramatic adjustments, particularly for the Hull series. While the Hull A and B ships are seeing increases or moderate changes in cargo space, the Hull D and E have been significantly nerfed, with the Hull E’s capacity reduced by over 87% from its original concept. This decision was driven by concerns about gameplay balance, loading tedium, and technical performance issues. Other ships like the Rail and Ironclad are receiving cargo capacity boosts, with the Ironclad seeing structural changes that allow for more vehicles and ships to fit inside.
Several specific ship functionalities were clarified, including the Clipper’s ability to craft size one components such as armor, weapons, and ammo, explaining its size one shields. The Wolf kits are confirmed to be coming in some form, and the Salvation’s salvage heads are expected to be locked down soon, though the current status remains uncertain. Next year’s releases include the Hall B, Railin, Ironclad with a functioning command module, and a new generalist ship akin to the Clipper. The Galaxy capital ship is confirmed for release at IAE next year, with its hangar able to accommodate Salvations and their refinery capabilities.
Finally, three new ships were revealed: a variant of the Graycat MXC with crafting capabilities, the Anvil Auxilia ground vehicle featuring crafting and medical facilities, and the Consolidated Outlands Forge, a smaller solo ship with a larger crafting bench and onboard refinery. The Forge is particularly exciting as it offers a one-stop solution for resource extraction, refining, and crafting, acting as an entry point before base building. However, development on the new vehicles is on hold pending crafting system progress. Overall, the update marks one of the largest ship information dumps in recent memory, with mixed reactions expected from the community regarding the nerfs and new features.