A pledge is your way of showing support towards the development of RSI projects including Star Citizen and Squadron 42. You can back the game through a variety of pledge options. RSI operates entirely using player and supporter contributions!
Pledge options include:
- Game Packages of a ship, the game itself, and other items
- Standalone Ships
- Ship Upgrades to enhance ships currently owned as standalone or in a game package
- Subscriptions
- and more...
When a pledge is made for any item on the store, the money is contributed towards the development of the game. In return for helping fund RSI’s operations, you receive the items listed within the pledge.
What do I need to play Star Citizen today?
To play Star Citizen, you need a Game Package and a computer that meets the requirements. These packages all contain a digital download of Star Citizen, a ship, and other assets and items. All game packages can be found in the store.
All requirements are displayed on the Download page.
How can I see what is contained within a pledge that has multiple items?
On your hangar page on the website, you can view all items contained within a given pledge by clicking on the arrow icon on the right side of the pledge. This will expand the pledge to show a list of all items that are included.
I see there is insurance, starting money and other items in my pledge - what are these?
Items such as insurance and starting credits will be attributed to your account inventory to provide options during alpha. Final starting options will be attributed when the game has finished development and is made live, to help you begin your journey. These items vary depending on package or ship you have pledged for.
These include the following:
- Insurance - Coverage for your ships, modifications, and (eventually) cargo to ensure that potential loss of your ship and its contents is not a permanent one. The duration of the included insurance will not begin until the game launches. More information about insurance can be found here.
- UEC credits - In-game currency to be applied to your account when the game goes fully live.
- Ships or Vehicles - In-game modes of transportation that players can pilot to get around or battle in the 'Verse in various ways.
- Star Citizen game manual - PDF or printed manual depending on your pledge. This guide will not be available until the game is closer to complete and released. Draft versions of the PDF may be available through alpha, beta, and final release.
- Flair - Small, decorative items provided in-game to display in your hangar.
What is the difference between Warbond and other pledges?
Warbond pledges are available at a discount as they are available for cash only and cannot be acquired using any amount of store credit. You can learn more about store credit in our guide: Using Store Credit.
My pledge package says it contains UEC. Where is it?
Excluding ships and vehicles, UEC and other items that are part of pledge packages are not attributed until the game has gone live. These items are to help you get off your space boots when you journey into the black in Star Citizen for the first time.
While we are in Alpha testing, players are given aUEC to spend while they play and using this provided test currency will not impact the UEC included in your various pledges.
Are there ways to change my ship if my in-game needs or wants have changed later?
Yes, ships can be changed into another ship of higher value through Cross Chassis Upgrades (CCUs). These special upgrade items are sold on the pledge store, though certain upgrade paths will not always be available, such as to ships that are only occasionally offered through special promotions and events.
You can find out more about CCUs in our guide Ship Upgrades (CCUs).
The ship that I pledged for comes with an included vehicle or ship. How do I see this?
By included vehicle, ship, or craft we mean pledges that come with say, a land vehicle like an Ursa Rover or a small "snub fighter" like the P-52 Merlin along with the ship itself. These additional vehicles and ships will not appear on the pledge list on the My Hangar page on the website, but will show up in game when the ship they are "attached" to is spawned.
Using a CCU to change to a ship that includes additional items like these will attribute them to your account as it would if acquired directly from the pledge store, and upgrading away from the ship will likewise remove them.
Should you need to file an insurance claim on one of these ships, remember that you will need to file a claim for the included craft first, and then file a claim for the ship itself.
I heard that some ships have special customization options available! Where can I find out more about that?
Great question! See our Ship Customizer Guide and the related Ship Customizer FAQ for more detailed information on this system.
What can be done with a pledge that I no longer want or need?
Should a time come when a pledge and its contents will no longer be of use to you for whatever reason, you can reclaim (or "melt") the pledge to recover its value in store credit for your account. This credit can be spent on the pledge store for a different pledge of your choosing. We cover the ins and outs and restrictions for this process here: Reclaim a Pledge
Be warned - Reclaiming is intended to be permanent and support staff will not assist with reversing the process.
How do I unmelt or buy back a pledge?
If you have changed your mind after reclaiming a pledge, you can reacquire your melted or reclaimed pledges through the Pledge Buy Back tool, or use the store credit on your account to pledge again on the store.
Important points to keep in mind, not all melted pledges and items can be restored and reacquired through this process!