CIG promised over and over that Star Citizen would get its alpha 4.0 release before the end of this year, and technically speaking, it delivered that goal: The new alpha build is indeed live, but as Chris Roberts explains in a Letter from the Chairman address, it’s the 4.0 preview and not the full-on build replacement that the studio normally puts out.
Roberts explains that alpha 4.0 will run alongside the currently released alpha 3.24.3, which is being done because not all of the game’s mission types were able to be brought over from the latter version into the former, however CIG needed the high traffic of a live alpha 4.0 to fully put server meshing through its paces. This does mean that once work on 4.0 is fully completed, progress from alpha 3.24.3 will not carry over, though any character progress in 4.0 will be maintained.
While this does mean that there are two alphas of the same game being managed at the same time, Roberts tries to spin this as a way to give players a choice of the SC experience they want. “For the first time in our history, we will run two live releases in parallel, each with their own progress and persistence,” the address reads. “This means you’ll have the unique opportunity to choose which version you want to dive into, at least for a little while.”
Roberts’ address also talks about CIG’s plans for 2025, with a commitment to “decoupling feature development from content creation and general fixes” so that creation of new features doesn’t hold up new content or destabilize the live game. This will be done through using the tech preview server and opening a new experimental public test server when a new feature is “deemed complex or risky enough to require focused testing.” Roberts claims this approach will free the devs to focus more on quality-of-life and playability going forward.
In terms of content for alpha 4.0, that obviously includes server meshing as well as the big-ticket addition of the Pyro system, with all of its various planets, locations, currently available missions, and gameplay features like its PvPvE contested zone. The patch also brings improvements to the Carrack ship and releases the all-new Mirai Guardian fighter craft. Patch notes detail all of the additions and updates.
This past week has also brought the sandbox’s festive Luminalia event, which has primarily been focused on seasonal cargo delivery missions, an 11-day advent calendar that promises freebies, and a video clip contest.
