Hollywood films like the Marvel Avengers or Star Wars series are extremely expensive to produce – but a video game can keep up. Star Citizen has had more budgets available since the beginning of April than Star Wars: Episode 9 – The Rise of Skywalkers.
According to Wikipedia The third film from Disney's new Star Wars trilogy cost $ 275 million to produce, Marketing and advertising costs not included. The space MMO by Chris Roberts and his company Cloud Imperium Games has meanwhile Raised $ 276 million through crowdfunding. In addition, there will be another $ 63 million earmarked for marketing from two investments in 2018 and 2020.
Star Citizen is now almost as expensive as Avengers and Pirates of the Caribbean
Star Citizen thereby cuts out all films ever produced with the exception of the top 5 (list with sums not adjusted for inflation, only production costs, Source Wikipedia):
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides (Pirates of the Caribbean 4) – $ 379 million
- Avengers: Age of Ultron – $ 365 million
- Avengers: Endgame – $ 356 million
- Avengers: Infinity War – $ 316 million
- "Pirates of the Caribbean: At the End of the World" (Pirates of the Caribbean 3) / "Justice League" – $ 300 million
If you follow the inflation-adjusted list, which takes the inflation rate into account, Star Citizen still ranks 18th in front of all Star Wars films except for "Star Wars: Episode 7 – The Force Awakens". It's no wonder that I think Star Citizen doesn't need a financially strong publisher – although that might be the best thing for the project:
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Star Citizen needs (no) a publisher! – Who controls Chris Roberts?
2020 will be the most successful year for Star Citizen
Cloud Imperium Games generated around $ 15 million in revenue in the first three months alone through “donations” from fans. Money that, according to developers, flows directly into development. One thing is certain: the money is flowing as never before in the eight-year development history of the major project.
From January to March 2020 Star Citizen earned as much money as in the most successful year 2019 between January and May. If the trend continues, record earnings of over $ 60 million could end up being posted this year.
The emerging release postponement of Squadron 42 could not weaken the spending mood of the players. In contrast to the still largely secret single player campaign, the online universe can already be visited, here Star Citizen players have long had fun.
How Star Citizen makes so much money
The space MMO currently only exists in a playable alpha version, which is already being supported by several million players with financial contributions. In return for this crowdfunding, players get access to new spaceships, in the end they buy them for life, including insurance for in-game failure. A good $ 100,000 is raised every day.
The big plus report on the financing of Star Citizen looks behind the scenes. In conversation with scientists, we uncover Chris Roberts' marketing methods and ask a supporter of the game why he has already invested over 7,000 euros in the financing of his dream game:
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Star Citizen's million-dollar secret: how developers make money
Most recently, Cloud Imperium Games played the Alpha 3.9 on the online server at Star Citizen. This gives space pilots a new home on the Microtech ice planet: New Babbage is a kind of frozen New York.
