The Xeno Threat event is set to return to Star Citizen on Wednesday, July 1st. Unlike the previous narrative-driven version that featured extensive PvE and PvP action across Stanton’s TV screens, this iteration is a simpler, points-based limited event that players can track through their journals. The event reuses reskinned space combat Foxwell contracts, featuring five priority missions where players either protect pilots flying alien ships or ambush Xeno Threat fleets. Points earned in the event are mostly shared among participants, except for one special contract involving hunting an Idris, which offers a large payout of 4.7 million aUEC and 120,000 points divided among those with the contract active, though it comes with a three-hour global cooldown.
The contracts vary in difficulty and objectives. The easier missions include defending an NPC from waves of Gladiuses, rewarding 4,000 points and 88,000 aUEC, while more challenging contracts involve ambushing a Hammerhead with fighter escorts or interdicting waves of enemy ships like Arrows, Gladius, Cutlasses, Mantises, Valkyries, and Sabres. The toughest contract, “Eliminate Xenothreat Enforcer,” features three waves totaling 32 ships, culminating in a Hammerhead escorted by ten Gladiuses. Points and credit rewards differ by mission, encouraging players to participate in multiple contracts to accumulate the 120,000 points needed for full event completion.
This event is purely points-win-prizes based, with time-limited rewards tracked in the journal. Notably, this is the first time the event awards only blueprints, with no clear information on whether these blueprints will be permanently bound to player accounts or if they will expire after the event or a future wipe. The content creator plans to update viewers if Cloud Imperium Games clarifies this or if the items appear in the web hangar once the event goes live, as this uncertainty may impact player participation.
The rewards for the event, based on Public Test Universe (PTU) data that might still be adjusted before live release, include various armor and weapon sets. Players can earn the Purgatory camo armor and weapons such as the Shirong set and BR-2 shotgun at 15% completion, the Testudo set and S71 rifle at 25%, and other gear like the Mond armor with Warden backpack, Demeco weapon, Quadricel power plants, FR-60 and FR-76 shields, and finally size 1 to 3 NDB repeaters at 100% completion. These rewards offer a mix of cosmetic and functional items for players who reach different progress milestones throughout the event.
Overall, the content creator expresses some disappointment that the event lacks the immersive narrative and dynamic gameplay of previous Xeno Threat iterations. However, they remain curious about the implications of blueprint-only rewards and how their potential temporary nature might affect player engagement in this and future events. They encourage community feedback and close by reminding fellow citizens to fly safe and stay alert for bugs in the game.
