Star Citizen

Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts teased his next project last month, and now he's providing some actual meaty details. Space sim fans, meet Space Citizen. As Roberts proclaims in a video, he's not buying into the doom and gloom proclamations that PC gaming is dead.

“In recent years, game designers have stopped innovating and pushing the boundaries of what you can do in this genre,” says Roberts. “I plan on bringing that kind of development mentality back into PC gaming and space sims in particular."

His project, Space Citizen, has been in development for a year, and now he needs players' help. He's turning to crowdsourcing to raise $2 million for the last stretch. He says the model is perfect for what he's trying to do, essentially a spiritual successor to his iconic space-sim series Wing Commander, because it eliminates the need for publishers and allows the studio to pour all of that cash into development. Don't expect to see this one on consoles or mobile devices, either.

“There is a lot of noise out there regarding social and mobile games right now, and I think PC gamers are feeling a little left out of the mix. But the PC is still incredibly capable of presenting an experience that doesn’t take a back seat to any other platform out there, including consoles. With my game, I want PC gamers to stand up, be counted and get excited again about all the great experiences their computer can deliver.”

Players take on tours of duty within the game, following a mission structure that should seem familiar to Wing Commanders. Those sections play out in a generally linear fashion, though players will have the opportunity to take different paths at various points. When they aren't committed to a formal job, however, pilots can explore the vast universe and make their mark. For instance, if you explore an obscure section of deep space and find an out-of-the-way jumpgate, that navigation point will be named after you, and other players will see it. The game will require a subscription, though it will be a one-time purchase, and not a month-to-month expense. Roberts promises regular updates and additional content rather than blasting players with major updates every year or so.