CIG has shifted its development focus for Star Citizen from quarterly content patches to monthly updates aimed at fixing persistent bugs and improving overall game stability, particularly addressing issues like login delays and problematic transit systems. While prioritizing these fixes, CIG will still test new features on a separate tech preview server before wider release, ensuring a more reliable gameplay experience.
In a recent update about the development of Star Citizen, CIG (Cloud Imperium Games) has acknowledged the numerous bugs and player concerns that have been affecting the game. They have decided to shift their development focus from quarterly patches that introduce new content to monthly patches aimed primarily at fixing persistent bugs and improving quality of life. This change indicates a long-term commitment to enhancing the game’s stability and addressing the technical challenges that have plagued it for some time. The year 2025 is being positioned as a period dedicated to these improvements rather than major new content releases.
One of the significant issues highlighted by players is the ongoing login problems, where users experience long delays and sometimes get stuck in queues. CIG is investigating the causes of these issues, which seem to be linked to the authorization process during matchmaking and shard locking problems. Additionally, the transit system and elevators have been problematic, with players frequently getting ejected from trains or encountering unresponsive elevators. CIG plans to implement immediate hot fixes for these issues while also working on long-term solutions to ensure reliable functionality.
Another area of concern is the persistent problems related to hangars and ship storage. Players have reported various bugs that lead to ships being destroyed or failing to spawn correctly, disrupting gameplay and affecting player progress. CIG is reviewing the backend systems that manage these issues and is committed to issuing short-term fixes along with long-term improvements to ensure a more stable experience for players. Similarly, inventory management has faced challenges, with items disappearing unexpectedly, prompting CIG to reassess their data persistence systems.
The mission system is also set for an overhaul, focusing on improving compatibility with the new server architecture that has been partially deployed. Although new missions are not on the immediate horizon, CIG aims to enhance the mission management system to provide a more robust gameplay experience. Additionally, issues surrounding quantum travel, including inconsistencies in fuel states and graphical problems, are being addressed as part of these ongoing improvements.
Lastly, while CIG is prioritizing bug fixes and stability, they have not completely halted the introduction of new content. Instead, new features will be tested on a separate tech preview server before being released to the live environment. This approach allows for public testing of new features in a controlled setting, ensuring that they function correctly before wider deployment. Overall, this strategic shift in development aims to create a more stable and enjoyable experience for Star Citizen players while still allowing for the eventual introduction of new content.