Star Citizen

[Dusty Lens]

The game is independently developed. Crowd sourcing through pledges and their kickstarter drive are how they're coming as close as they can to the funds they'll need to finish the project. They have corporate backers, but every dollar pledged is one less that they'll need to rely upon to finish the game.

It's an effort to maintain creative control.

The game will operate in the same fashion as Freelancer in terms of financial commitment following the release of the product. Furthermore there are no plans to allow for the purchasing of game money or other transactions involving real money currency. It's not a free to play model. It's just free to play.

The pledges are simply incentives to buy into the game now. The life time insurance that's being offered now is a long term convenience item being granted to persons who support the project by buying a "ship" and the game. Basically shaving a few credits off of your future financial obligations on ensuring the hull. Cargo and modules are still your task to look after.

The game can be modded and run on independent servers. Which is why so many people are speaking of the next generation of Discovery running off of this engine. It's the same Freelancer crew, just with a new game.

If you want a term that may appeal to your senses other than 'pledge' think of the current deal as a pre-order. $45 dollars will secure alpha and beta access, the full game upon release (including the wing commander style Squadron 42 campaign which may be played on both the server or single player) and a starter ship with a permanently insured hull for use in the "main" persistent world.

The game, upon release, will cost $60+.

Some might stay on the FL engine. Many will migrate to the new generation. If you feel that space sims and very possibly the next 'Discovery' you might consider this a financial investment not only for your future self, but in ensuring that the platform upon which they're based can achieve the highest level of excellence.

Shut up Loken.

Link to the final low cost pledge drive.