I’ve followed Star Citizen since its Kickstarter campaign and I still remember the raw excitement of that first hangar module in 2013. All we could do was walk around and admire the ships we’d pledged for but in that hangar we were all dreaming of the incredible future where flying them would be our ultimate reward. For years the development model was clear, CIG often released ships first and built their gameplay loops later. The Reclaimer, the Herald, the MSR, and the Hull C all arrived in our hangars long before their core mechanics existed. This approach had its flaws but it provided tangible progress and honored our pledges. Now CIG claims they no longer want to “do things this way.” Yet, instead of prioritizing the legacy ships we’ve already paid for they have put most of them on indefinite hold while new fully-priced concepts continue to appear every quarter. The messaging on this shift has been frustratingly inconsistent. Regarding the 600i rework, developers said: “No production work is currently happening on [the 600i]. And it's not on our sort of like rolling 12 to 18 month schedule at the moment… When it comes to prioritizing… redoing the 600i takes the place of something else that doesn’t exist yet… Still super excited to do it… but it’s just finding the right time to do it.” Ship Showdown Q&A 2025 This isn’t about impatience, it’s about trust and fairness. While the 600i is already flyable concept ships we funded over a decade ago remain little more than JPEG assets. New ships are consistently given priority because they keep the cash flowing. We are endlessly reminded the game is an “alpha,” yet we see live-service monetization tactics at every turn. The new rule is that old concepts can’t be released until their game loops are done, a problem that never stopped ship releases before while new sales are pitched as essential to fund development. The unspoken message is that the ships you pledged for might get made eventually, but don't hold your breath. (Not to mention we are constantly losing working missions and contract chains without any communication regarding their removal). “If you take into account the next kind of 18 months or so… we'll be left with maybe kind of like two-ish [legacy concepts] a year that we haven't delivered. Maybe some years three, maybe some years one. But I think we're definitely trending on the right trend…” Ship Showdown Q&A 2025 What, exactly, is “the right trend”? How is it respectful to the original backers who made this project possible to perpetually shelve their ships while constantly shipping new ones? CIGs answer by their own admission is a balancing act. "It's a balancing act… we have to balance that between gameplay services being available and, quite frankly, the needs to continue pushing the project into new directions." Ship Showdown Q&A 2025 For years that balance has been tipped decisively in favor of new sales. When it comes to ships like the Banu Merchantman.. the poster child for outstanding commitments.. the answers are even more bleak with its release now tied to complex features like NPC-managed storefronts that may be years away at best. So, what is the point of this discussion? I guess its a way for me to shout into the void and also plea at the same time? CIG should publicly commit to finishing all legacy concept ships before chasing new sales. At a minimum, show that you value the millions of dollars we’ve already invested in the dream you sold us. Where is the honest, proactive communication from leadership. Tell us what it will actually take to turn these pictures into flyable ships and provide realistic timelines, even if they’re long. Reactive Q&A answers are not enough. We have already paid for these assets.. We want the project to honor the trust of its founding backers. The people who built this dream alongside you deserve to see their faith rewarded. This isn’t just about wanting “my ship now.” It’s about the erosion of backer trust. When you collect money for a concept you are making a promise. That promise should not be endlessly deferred by shifting priorities or new monetization strategies. We bought into the dream that we would one day fly our ships. It’s time for CIG to prove that was a commitment, not just a sales pitch. Also, keep voting for the Gladiator.