The two-pronged crowd-funding drive for Star Citizen finally concluded on Monday with a final total of $6,238,563 USD. The Kickstarter project earned $2,134,374 million from 34,397 backers whereas Cloud Imperium Games' in-house version concluded ten days ago with $4,104,189 million pledged by 55,270 backers.
"The battle is over and we - PC gamers, space sim fans, WingNuts, Lancers and the rest - have won," the company said on Monday. "You've not only met every goal we set, you've exceeded them. Star Citizen will be released because of your dedication and your willingness to put your money where our mouths are. Our gratitude is immeasurable; we owe you our livelihoods and will not soon forget it."
So what now? Cloud Imperium reports that the website will integrate all the Kickstarter backers soon, giving them exclusive access to features like the Comm-Link and the Spectrum Dispatches. Other public sections will be opening as well including the Galactapedia which will reveal more about the Star Citizen world, Engineering which will introduce the game mechanics that are being planned, and Holovids which will offer video footage from the game as it takes shape.
For those who didn't get a chance to make a pledge, Cloud Imperium is offering a "behind the scenes" subscription plan designed for those who want to contribute funds on a monthly basis during the development stage. The team promises "some extra fun" with these monthly contributors without getting in to more detail.
"We can't thank you enough for everything you've done for this project," the company said. "Please see the next update on 'The Pledge' for our promise to you. The next two years are going to be incredible for all involved and we're thoroughly happy that all of you are along for this exciting ride."
"We're humbled by the incredible response from the space sim and PC gaming communities. We're going to build an incredible game… Star Citizen will be the space sim you have always dreamed is possible. We can't wait to show you more as development progresses!" added Ben Lesnick.
Wing Commander creator and Cloud Imperium founder Chris Roberts said that Star Citizen is the game he wanted to make in the early 1990s, but the technology just wasn't available. After taking a ten year break to dip his creative hands into the Hollywood pool, Roberts has finally returned to the gaming scene with this latest endeavor, exclusive to the PC.
As reported last week, the money earned through the two crowd-funding projects should speak volumes about how badly PC gamers want a AAA title on their beloved platform. For years PC gamers have seemingly been tossed aside as publishers and developers have flocked to the consoles, citing piracy among other hardware and financial reasons.
"[Star Citizen] will include all the Chris Roberts hallmarks that fans of his games have come to expect over the years: high quality cutting-edge visuals and technology, a virtual world that is immersive and detailed, a sophisticated storyline that is wide in scope and visceral, heart-pounding space combat," the company said.
