Hi everyone, I wanted to open a discussion about the current state of piracy in Star Citizen. Over the last few patches, we’ve seen a series of changes that, whether intentionally or as side effects of other fixes, are completely dismantling piracy as a legitimate, profit-driven gameplay loop. Here is a breakdown of what is currently killing this mechanics: - Gear Insurance: With the introduction of gear insurance, items can no longer be lost or stolen, removing a basic layer of risk and reward. - Contracted Cargo: This cargo is locked strictly to missions. If a pirate manages to steal it, it cannot be sold anywhere, rendering the whole operation pointless. - Bricked Components: The recent change where ship components "brick" upon insurance claims was clearly meant to stop item duping. However, the secondary effect is that it completely destroys the incentive to steal ships for their parts. - Upcoming Cargo Insurance (Alpha 4.9): Rumors and info about being able to insure cargo in the next patch feel like the final nail in the coffin. If cargo is fully protected, what is left to steal? The unintended consequence: More Griefing By removing all financial incentives and mechanical rewards from legitimate piracy, CIG is cornering PVP organizations. If we can't steal cargo, we can't sell components, and we can't make a profit, the only thing left to do is "kill for the sake of killing." This is exactly what the PVE community complains about and labels as griefing. True piracy requires a system where compliance or negotiation pays off; right now, the game forces mindless destruction. Broken PVP Systems On top of the economic nerfs, the mechanical tools for PVP are completely broken: - PVP bounty and hunting missions are unreliable or outright don't work. - Interdicting miners or traders has become nearly impossible. - The Mantis' QED frequently fails to function when targets cross server boundaries (Server Meshing/replication issues). Piracy was always advertised as a core, legitimate pillar of Star Citizen's economy and risk-vs-reward ecosystem. Right now, it feels like it's being systematically phased out. If we want a dynamic universe where escorts matter and cargo runs feel thrilling, piracy needs to be viable—not just reduced to mindless kill-on-sight combat. What are your thoughts? Is CIG overcorrecting, or do you think this is just a temporary phase while they balance underlying systems?