We have passed $54 million in crowd funding, and we have two groups to thank: racers who picked up M50s and 350Rs during our sale… and new backers who are just discovering Star Citizen! I’m proud to announce that since the $53 million letter we have added almost 10,000 new Citizens to our ranks. Thank you for making this possible, and especially affirming my belief that the best way to sell the dream of Star Citizen is to let our backers spread the word. Every new backer makes the game better… so tell your friends!

Before we talk about stretch goals, I’d like to share some work from Foundry 42. You may have seen a few seconds of this video on a recent Around the Verse, but here it is in its full glory: the Retaliator greyboxing status update! The Retaliator is a heavy, multi-crew bomber that’s going to play like nothing you’ve seen in a space sim before… please enjoy seeing how much detail the team in Manchester is putting into the ship.

At the $54 million level, you’ve unlocked additional AI activities for the persistent world!

• More Detailed AI Activities – we’ll add ten distinct types of AI character roles on planetside environments! At $54 million, this includes Bartender, Doctor, Entertainer, Nurse, Sanitation Worker, Security Guard, Shopper, Tourist, Vagrant and Vandal. Future AI roles will be added with future stretch goals! Each additional ‘class’ of character will be fully expressive and have a role to play in Star Citizen’s planetside interaction AND the game’s greater economy.

One of the great things Tony Zurovec has brought to the process is a desire to enhance the planetside portion of Star Citizen well beyond my original goals. He wants to see a living, breathing world on our planetside landouts, complete with AI and player roles that you don’t ordinarily associate with a space combat game. So adding things like security guards, shoppers, tourists and vagrants, each with their own form and function, to the game is another step to making it more of a real world!

The winner of last week’s “ship upgrade” reward poll was…

• Ballistic Gatling – Preacher Armament Inquisition XXII: Preacher’s Inquisition XXII is the weapon to turn to when you want complete target saturation. Its dual-ammo feed allows you to hotswap feeds without exiting your ship, giving every owner the ultimate flexibility to pick the ammo based on the situation.

Every backer who pledges before we hit $55 million will have a pair of Inquisition XXII ballistic Gatling cannons added to their accounts! Since the poll was such a success, we’re going to continue it for the next stretch goal. We’ve removed the lowest performing option… and then we’ve added three more! Each of these new upgrades corresponds to a specific Arena-ready hull type… so you can choose based on the component or the ship! Which would you like as your $56 million gift?

• Engine – Dragon Stellar STC Silver (300 Series): The STC Silver from Dragon Stellar Transit Company is a TR4 engine noted for its high thrust output and low EM emissions. It has been rumored that Dragon Stellar has been using inferior components, but for some pilots the decreased power and fuel efficiency is worth the extra boost, especially at this price point.

• Power Plant – Broad & Rabiee Quietech M120 (Hornet): The largest class in the M series, Quietech M120 from Broad & Rabiee is a dynamic Superfluid Quantum Vortex power plant system that is capable of handling all your ship’s energy needs with a minimum of emissions. Ideally constructed for anyone who’s looking not looking to make an impression while travelling through a system.

• Jump Drive – Tarsus Leaper Jump Engine (Aurora): The first step to the universe beyond. The Leaper Jump Engine from Tarsus connects with your onboard NavDrive to allow your ship to access jump points. The Leaper also includes an introductory scanning software package to try your hand at discovering the undiscovered.

For full descriptions of all the other options, please check out my previous letter.

As I have said before and I will no doubt say again, thank you all. Star Citizen has been the best experience of my career… and it’s because of the incredible community that has come together to support this game. Seeing us hit $54 million is incredible… and so is seeing you come together to support the Lego Hornet, or seeing Citizens host events and becoming friends because of this game. I am so thoroughly happy that you are coming together in so many ways to make the world I’m building your own.

— Chris Roberts