Star Citizen is now fully open to all backers

Cloud Imperium Games has eliminated alpha access and module passes to Star Citizen, which for the non initiates among you means that all backers with game packages now have access to all aspects of the game. The news came in Chris Roberts' most recent Letter From the Chairman update, in which he also announced that Star Citizen has surpassed one million backers.

"Anyone who has pledged for a Star Citizen Package can now play today without worrying they won’t have access to some portion of the ‘Verse in the future. No Star Marine pass, no Alpha 2.0 pass… no additional payment needed for any module in the works, pre-release," Roberts wrote. "Going forward, should we need to put out some sort of limited release it will be done through the PTU test server. All backers will have access to any live release, the moment it publishes."

Backers with alpha access packages will be given 10,000 UEC [United Earth Credits, Star Citizen's in-game currency], with the UEC cap raised to accommodate the boost. Roberts also said players who have purchased a separate Arena Commander pass would get 5000 UEC, but Community Manager Jared Huckaby clarified in a forum post that they'll actually be given $5 of in-store credit.

"You also have my most sincere thanks: you were our vanguard, the battalion that fought the good fight from the beginning," Roberts wrote. "Your impact on Star Citizen will never be forgotten, for without your early faith we couldn’t be where we are today."

The credit payout will require "a big script," he added, and so is expected to take a few days to work out.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.