Last week, Star Citizen’s developers Cloud Imperium Games announced that its multiplayer and Squadron 42 single-player will soon be split into two separate games. Now, a “package split information” post on the game’s site – which includes a handy FAQ – hopes to clear up any uncertainty moving forward.
Get starstruck by our list of best space games on PC.
On Sunday, Star Citizen will besplit into two games and from thereon both Star Citizen and single-player Squadron 42 will cost $45 each. Once in possession of one, buying the other will only set you back a further $15, and those who have already backed or have already purchased Star Citizen will receive both. Clear as mud? Here’s Cloud Imperium:
“Today, we’d like to clear up some confusion about exactly what’s happening!” reads a post of the game’s site. “First of all: the package split does NOT impact any current backers. If you’ve already pledged for Star Citizen, you will have access to both the persistent universe and the Squadron 42 single-player campaign.
“All ‘Squadron 42’ packages sold before the split also include access to the persistent universe. The split applies only to any new packages purchased after February 14, 2016.”
It seems that, although divided from now on, both worlds are linked and that “your performance in Squadron 42 will still have an impact on your career in the persistent universe.” So why split them, then?
“When we started Star Citizen’s crowdfunding campaign, the plan was that earlier backers would get a lower price on the Star Citizen starter package than those that backed later,” reads the post. “The plan was to first gradually increase the price and then split up various modules for ‘a la carte options.’
“This gave backers who joined the project early on and helped get it off the ground an advantage.”
With the package split, reckon Cloud Imperium, this goal can be achieved without the need to increase the cost of access to the persistent universe.
The post continues: “The ‘package split’ is the first introduction of the anticipated a la carte option: you can pick which part of the game you’re interested in, for now the single player campaign or the persistent universe, and then can choose whether or not to purchase the other module as an add-on.”
So what do you think – does all that make sense? We’d love to hear from Star Citizen backers in the comments below.
Thanks, RPS.