In this Star Citizen Week in Review, Salty Mike critiques the rushed release of patch 4.3, highlighting persistent bugs—especially with freight elevators—and the mixed reception of the new Wolf ship, while questioning the developers’ communication and prioritization. Despite frustrations, he acknowledges efforts to improve game stability, extend events, and make gameplay more accessible, remaining cautiously optimistic about the game’s future.
In this Star Citizen weekend review for August 18th, 2025, Salty Mike discusses the release of patch 4.3, which notably went live on a Saturday—a decision he questions due to the strain it puts on developers working overtime. The new Kruger ship, the Wolf, is introduced and praised for its speed and maneuverability, with balanced weaponry that makes it viable in PvP, though its lack of survivability limits its usefulness in PvE. Despite initial skepticism, Mike found the Wolf to be a solid addition, especially effective against tough targets like prospectors. However, the patch itself has been plagued by crashes, particularly related to the Wolf, and ongoing issues with freight elevators, which remain a significant pain point for players.
Mike highlights the persistent problems with freight elevators, which are integral to gameplay beyond just personal hangars, contrary to developer claims that they are mostly used in single-player environments. These elevators have long-standing bugs causing items to vanish and other critical issues, which have been reported for over a year. The developers admitted to underestimating the extent of these problems, especially under high player concurrency during events like Race for Stanton. While a repair initiative has been underway for months, communication about it has been lacking, leading to frustration among the community. The developers’ explanation that increased player stress revealed many hidden bugs was met with skepticism by Mike, who argues that such issues should have been anticipated.
On a positive note, the developers plan to extend the Race for Stanton event to allow players more time to earn rewards and continue addressing freight elevator problems. There is also an effort to improve game playability throughout 4.3 and beyond, with a focus on fixing existing content rather than pushing new features prematurely. Inventory updates will make many newer ships more accessible through in-game currency rather than relying solely on pledges, which is seen as a welcome change. Despite some cosmetic additions like new hairstyles, the major gameplay updates include the introduction of NPC drop ships and a new vault weapon, the Vault LMG, which increases damage as it heats up.
The video updates section reveals mixed reactions to recent developer content, including a behind-the-scenes look at ships and an inside Star Citizen episode that addressed the patch’s issues. Mike expresses disappointment with the aesthetic direction of some ships, preferring a cleaner, more polished design. He also criticizes the developers’ handling of the freight elevator problems, calling their explanations “gaslighting” because they downplay the severity and history of the issues. However, he appreciates the candid admission of underestimating the bugs and the promise to extend events and improve the game’s stability over time.
In closing, Mike reflects on the rushed nature of the 4.3 patch release and questions the company’s priorities, especially given that the Wolf ship was already on sale and popular before the patch went live. He encourages viewers to share their experiences with the patch and emphasizes that while the game is still unfinished and buggy, what matters most is whether the developers are focusing on the right problems. He remains cautiously optimistic about the future but critical of the communication and decision-making processes that led to the current state of the game. The review ends with a call to subscribe and stay tuned for further updates.