In this Star Citizen Week in Review, Salty Mike covers the release of patch 4.5, which, despite improved performance from the Vulkan renderer, launched with numerous bugs, problematic persistence issues, and significant economic changes that frustrated many players. He also highlights ongoing gameplay challenges, a lackluster Luminalia event, and community feedback efforts, while announcing a personal break before returning with more updates in the new year.
In this Star Citizen Week in Review for December 22nd, 2025, Salty Mike discusses the release of patch 4.5, which went live with many bugs but showed some improvements in performance thanks to the new Vulkan renderer. The patch arrived after two release candidates with last-minute engineering changes, including the reintroduction of soft death mechanics and adjustments to shield behavior. However, the patch also brought notable issues such as slow shield regeneration, problematic tool repairs, and significant changes to ore refining that cut yields by 40% but increased prices to compensate, which may affect the game’s economy.
A major concern highlighted was the persistence system, which performed poorly for many players, including Salty Mike’s organization losing 80% of their earned items and resources without purchases involved. While ships seemed to persist better, the loss of valuable items and ores was frustrating and considered unacceptable for a game in its 13th year of development. Despite these setbacks, some positive changes were noted, such as the loot refresh that allowed players to find full armor sets rather than scattered pieces, enhancing the gameplay experience.
The video also touched on ongoing issues with ace pilots and patrol missions, which remain difficult and buggy, potentially worsening the loss of Limited Time Patrol (LTP) missions. Engineering remains a work in progress, and some players experienced problems with the ASOP terminal. A hotfix was deployed to address some crashes and terminal issues, but overall, the patch felt rough and incomplete. Salty Mike expressed skepticism about the current state of gameplay development, praising the world-building but doubting the game’s readiness in delivering engaging, polished gameplay loops.
In the roadmap update, there was no new information on upcoming patches like 4.5.1 or 4.6, likely due to the holiday break and CIG’s tendency to adjust plans in the new year. The focus remains on crafting, inventory, and engineering systems, but Salty Mike warned viewers not to be misled by hype and to follow actual progress in PTUs and roadmap cards. Additional updates included a ship sneak peek, a disappointing conclusion to the Pyro story arc, and a comprehensive engineering guide. The Luminalia event was noted as underwhelming this year, with only a few ship skins and limited gifts.
Finally, Salty Mike shared some community and developer posts addressing cargo ship improvements, economy adjustments, and the need for a future wipe to remove exploits and sync money properly. He encouraged viewers to participate in a new community survey to provide feedback directly to CIG. The video ended on a personal note, with Salty Mike explaining he would be taking a break to visit family due to his father’s recent prostate cancer diagnosis. He thanked his viewers for their support throughout the year and wished them happy holidays, promising to return with more updates in the new year.