Ding ding ding, Citizens. Ship Showdown 2956 is officially underway, and the 'verse is ringside for the biggest throwdown yet in the clash for aerospace supremacy! Last year, the Polaris did the unthinkable and knocked every fan favorite off the podium to claim the crown. The Asgard, Zeus ES, and Gladiator stood in the ring with it, but the Polaris left as the last one standing. Now it's back to defend its title, and the whole 'verse is lining up to get a shot at the champ. To kick off the throwdown, we're bringing last year's Final Four back for a victory lap from July 28 through August 3 at 20:00 UTC. The only question that matters: does the Polaris keep the belt, or does a new challenger take it? Ship Showdown runs July 28 through September 2, to crown the most beloved flyable or drivable vehicle in the 'verse. There are epic ships to win, a Free Fly featuring the Elite Eight, exclusive Best in Show paints, in-game manufacturer-themed coins for the Final Four, and an in-game coin case to display them in - plus a special champion's prize for this year's Undisputed Champion of the 'Verse. YOU call the shots. The fight starts now with Phase 1 of Ship Showdown! Welcome to Ship Showdown 2956 - Phase 1 July 28 through August 14 Phase 1 is where you throw your weight behind your beloved. Back your favorite flyable or drivable vehicle with an original creation, any medium, any style, as long as it's got your champion's name on it. Write a fight song, build a model, land a screenshot that stops the scroll, cut a hype trailer, or go full send and build the ship for real. Post your creation to the Community Hub or on X using #StarCitizen and #ShipShowdown by August 14 @ 20:00 UTC. But this isn't just a creativity contest, you've got to put in the work too. Flight and drive time, hauling, mining, salvaging, combat, it all counts toward your champion's shot at the Sweet 16. Take your Reclaimer into the scrapping fields, haul freight in your RAFT, or just fly your favorite ride across Stanton like there's a title on the line. Because there is. Need some inspiration? Check out the standout entries from Ship Showdowns past. The top 16 vehicles with the most heat move on to Ship Showdown Phase 2 - the Live Showdown (from August 18 through September 2), going toe to toe in daily bracket-style smackdowns until only one is left standing. To keep it a fair fight, the field splits into distinct ship divisions: :package: Freighter (Transport) :motorway: Road Warrior (Ground Vehicles) :compass: Pathfinder (Exploration) :footprints: Underdog (The Little Ones) :gear: Heavy Duty (Industrial) :gun: Run & Gun (Combat) :alien: Eclectic Exotic (Alien) :boom: Big Hitters (Warships) The top ten entries on the Community Hub and top five on X will each win a L-22 Alpha Wolf with in-game Lifetime Insurance. Phase 1 is all about making noise for your favorite flyable or drivable vehicle, so take it out for a spin (or ten), and upvote, like, and reshare any content on the Community Hub or X (don't forget the hashtags mentioned above!) featuring the vehicle you want to see advance to Phase 2 and the Top 16. Plus, the Elite Eight will be free to test-fly starting August 26! Beloved but benched Every fight's got rules, and this one's no different. The following ships and vehicles are sitting this one out and are not eligible for voting: Esperia Glaive, Vanduul Scythe, CNOU Mustang Omega, Aegis Sabre Raven, Greycat PTV, and Argo ATLS GEO IKTI (all variants). Not fully sidelined: the Aegis Idris. We know it's got a devoted following, and this year it's eligible to compete the whole way, Phase 1 straight through to the championship. However, due to the performance impact, the Idris WILL NOT be part of the Free Fly should it advance to the Elite Eight. The Final Four will get exclusive Best in Show paints and in-game manufacturer-themed coins and a coin case, but the ultimate winner will also receive a special in-game champion's bomber jacket, all distributed at this year's Intergalactic Aerospace Expo. And, more importantly, a whole year of bragging rights. For all the details on Ship Showdown, the full contest rules, and to see the submissions so far, head over to the Ship Showdown hub. One more thing... Everyone who casts a vote each day during Phase 2 of Ship Showdown's daily head-to-head battles earns a commemorative Ship Showdown 2956 Spectrum badge, because you were ringside for the whole fight. Ready to see history made? The bell has rung.