


A release-date timeline touted by Roberts in January has completely slipped. Media reports are emerging that suggest Roberts has made a few questionable project management decisions. Some backers are asking for their money back. Although some limited modules are available to backers - two dogfighting maps (called Arena Commander), some spaceship racecourses, a hangar to store ships and a social hub - the vast bulk of the game is still in development.

Star Citizen was originally due to be launched at the end of 2014. "But that's nothing like we do we have more posts than days of the week, at least three video updates, a 50 to 70 page behind the scenes e-magazine and normally at least two patches a month."ĭuring those hectic first few days when Star Citizen first exploded on Kickstarter, he went without sleep for 72 hours straight and, according to an aide, had to be forced to a hotel room bed by worried colleagues. "Most of the time developers go dark once their Kickstarter or IndieGoGo campaign has run its course, with the backers getting occasional or sporadic updates," he explains. "I'm personally working harder than I ever worked in my life, including going back to the early days doing the first Wing Commander," he says adding that the workload is compounded by regular and detailed updates sent to backers. He hasn't had a day away from Star Citizen for three years. At night, he goes home to code and to make notes. He spends each day with his teams in Texas and California. He rises early to communicate with his studios in England and Germany. Roberts works seven days a week, every week. This time, the subject is not just the game, but Roberts himself, and how he is coping with what is likely to be the most intense and challenging few years of his life. It will be worth all the pledges and all the hard work.īut this interview is slightly different. He delivers the lines designed to mollify and reassure Star Citizen backers who have pledged more than $87 million to his game, and who are still waiting for delivery. Speaking to Polygon during a recent interview, he's definitely in outreach mode. He's also been helping with design and code for Star Citizen.Ī significant part of his job is reassuring the Star Citizen backer community that all is well, that their faith and their money are well placed. In the last few weeks, Roberts has made a Gamescom appearance, visited his studios around the world, talked to various media outlets and posted detailed blogs about progress on Star Citizen. Since Star Citizen was presented on Kickstarter back in 2012, he says he's been working non-stop.
