A new Star Citizen update introduces an extra item that players of the space game can use to adjust the performance of their ships. Flight blades are currently purchasable for real money and, in the words of Star Citizen’s developer Cloud Imperium, allow a user to” fine-tune the behavior of [their] ship to align with how [they] fly, fight, and operate.” The studio, which has already raised upwards of $800 million in crowdfunding for Star Citizen, explains that flight blades will eventually be obtainable using the game’s virtual, in-world currency. But as of right now, they can only be bought with real money, and the perceived advantage they provide has catalyzed a sharp backlash from Star Citizen players.
Star Citizen flight blades are an additional component that can be applied to a number of different ships. There are two types, one that increases speed, and one that increases maneuverability. The cost of flight blades varies depending on which ship they are being used for, with the cheapest set priced at $9.60 / £7.30 and the most expensive at $42 / £31.92. At the moment, the only way that flight blades can be purchased is with real money, although Cloud Imperium says that they will be available to buy using the in-game UEC currency, which may be earned by completing missions, in the summer.
While flight blades allow players to tune their ships in the space game, Cloud Imperium says that they do not provide a straightforward, overall advantage, instead allowing users to trade off one characteristic of their craft in favor of another.
“While using flight blades can boost one area,” the developer says, “you’ll see a reduction in another to balance things out. This isn’t about chasing raw upgrades. It’s about making meaningful changes and further dialing in your loadout to reflect your playstyle. Flight blades offer tuning flexibility, giving you more control over your ship’s behavior. There is no shortcut to mastery. It’s all about making smart decisions for how you want to fly.”
The response to flight blades from Star Citizen’s community, however, has been resoundingly negative. Cloud Imperium’s official post announcing and outlining the new item has received 3,776 downvotes from readers, compared to 141 upvotes. Players have also shared their responses on the game’s Reddit page.
“This is the most unhinged monetization pivot I’ve ever seen,” one player says. “Every last thing in this game is going to be paywalled, if this is the direction.”
“Flight blades being temporarily locked behind the pledge store sets a hilariously bad precedent,” another play writes. “As others have said, if this flies, then what’s next? I’ve been along for the ride since the Kickstarter and this is another instance of this company trying to monetize something that it really shouldn’t.”
“This is greedy pay-to-win behavior and I do not like or support this,” a third player says, before asking Cloud Imperium to “please change your mind and let them be in-game today.”
PCGamesN has contacted Cloud Imperium regarding the response
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