Star Citizen Builds Hype Ahead of Early Access, 1.0 Roadmap Unfolds

Star Citizen, Cloud Imperium Games’ sprawling space RPG funded by crowdfunding (over $900 million), is inching toward an early-access release next year with a longer-term 1.0 launch on the horizon. A gameplay snippet from Digital Dreams hints at ship customization, space combat, NPC interactions, bounty quests, and a law system across a vast universe, though Squadron 42 remains without a release date. While fans of Mass Effect and Starfield are excited, some observers warn the project could be heavy on visuals with limited substance, with a few labeling it a potential scam.