Want to get the best Star Citizen ship for free? The Idris-M frigate is one of the most imposing capital ships to grace the vast space game, and developers Cloud Imperium Games and Roberts Space Industries are giving players a chance to snag their very own ship for free. But to have a chance at winning one, you’ll first need to steal it – from the game’s developers. With ship prices going as high as $1,000 and above, that’s an opportunity you won’t want to pass up on.
Star Citizen remains an almost unknowable prospect; the total Star Citizen funding is now at over $644 million and climbing, making it by far one of the biggest and most ambitious space games ever. As opposed to other games in the genre such as Starfield, Elite Dangerous, and No Man’s Sky, ships in Star Citizen are sold piecemeal to players. These start out with beginners like the Aurora ES and MR at $24 and $26 respectively, but climb into the thousands of dollars for the biggest offerings.
One of the most sought-after ships around is the Idris-M frigate. The military variant of the iconic Idris line is still currently under construction by Cloud Imperium Games, meaning it’s not yet officially available even to those who pledged $1,000 to get their hands on one during the limited time it was on sale. Don’t worry, though; you can still buy one now if you’re prepared to shell out for the $18,000 Praetorian pack (note that it still isn’t quite ready for use in-game).
It seems we’ll be seeing the Idris-M’s full interior soon, however, and to celebrate you’ll have the chance this weekend to try and get your own hands on one. “As we get into the midst of what promises to be Star Citizen’s biggest year yet,” the team writes, “we’re heading back into the ‘verse with a bang… The kind of bang you only get from the massive railgun at the bow of a mighty Idris-M.”
From Friday February 23 to Tuesday February 27, you can come across a special ‘Idris War Game’ mission in-game. Find one, and you’ll have the chance to assault, capture, and control an Idris-M of your own. “Some of these behemoths will be fully crewed by our developers, and they’re hungry for a fight. Rally your crew and see if you can take them down and then fend off attackers from your new capital-class throne for as long as you can.”
Manage to do so for the longest time amongst all contenders, and you’ll be awarded your very own Idris-M to keep, complete with lifetime in-game insurance for it. But if you aren’t quite as successful, there’s another chance to win. You’ll need to create a ten-second clip of your conquest and submit it to the Star Citizen community hub; whether you flanked the Idris in style or went out in a blaze of glory, the coolest entry will also get their own Idris-M.
For both competitions, second place will instead earn you an Aegis Redeemer ship, while a respectable third gets you an Aegis Gladius. All prizes come with lifetime insurance, and you’ll also get a Star Citizen Game Package for your troubles. It’s a very fun idea, although the community is understandably a little divided as it’s the type of event that typically figures the biggest organizations and streamers who have a lot of supporters at their back. Still, with the ability to snag one with a video entry, there’s always a chance to stand out from the crowd.
If you’re looking to show off to your friends, we’ve got the best multiplayer games to let you do just that. Or, if your wallet is feeling a little queasy just thinking about all these expensive ships, you can soothe its stomach with the best free Steam games.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.