It's that time of year again! Fighters, freighters, industrials, and capitals, every corner of the 'verse is about to go head-to-head. It's Ship Showdown! Your favorite vehicles will battle it out across eight divisions, from haulers to underdog runabouts to full-blown warships, with only the top two contenders per division advancing to the Top 16. Which ships will rise to the top and claim Best in Show at this year's Intergalactic Aerospace Expo? That's up to YOU! And while you rally behind your favorite, you have a chance to win a brand-new Kruger L-22 Alpha Wolf. Keep reading to learn how! Ship Showdown 2956 Phase 1 Has Begun! The battle for the 'verse is on, and your favorite ship needs your help. Every entry you submit helps push your pick further up the leaderboard toward Phase 2, so don't hold back, post your creation on the Community Hub or X (Twitter) with the hashtags #ShipShowdown and #StarCitizen. Write and perform an original song, build something out of any material, capture breathtaking in-game machinima, create a trailer, sketch, paint, sculpt, or even craft the ship for real! There are no limits, just make sure it's your original work and showcases your favorite ship. And even if the vehicle featured in your submission doesn't make it into the Phase 2 bracket, an exceptional entry can still catch the judges' eye and win. Keep In Mind A Contest Entry submission may be any type of creative work, including, but not limited to, art, music, writing, or any type of material so long as it: Celebrates or highlights a Star Citizen ship or vehicle eligible for Ship Showdown at the time of the contest Is original, created by the entrant, and not reposted or copied from someone else's work Does not include AI-generated content, which will not be considered Observes and respects the RSI Terms Is submitted to either submission venue Videos must include the 2956 RSI Contest Made by Community Logo at the end for at least three (3) seconds. If submitted on X (Twitter), the post must contain the hashtags #StarCitizen and #ShipShowdown, and all images must include the same 2956 RSI Contest Made by Community Logo embedded in the content at a size where the text is legible. The required asset is available here: https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/qxub1wbq2zm6r/source.zip. For full contest rules and to see some of the amazing submissions so far, please head over to the official Ship Showdown page. Winning Conditions The CIG jury will judge your submissions on: Rule adherence Quality Creativity Aesthetic composition Dates The submission period will end on Friday, August 14, 2026, 20:00 UTC. Prizes Each of the following submissions that meet all entry requirements and are selected by the judges will receive a Kruger L-22 Alpha Wolf in-game ship with Lifetime Insurance: 10 submissions on the Community Hub 5 submissions on X (Twitter) Let the battles begin!