Star Citizen funding climbs to $19 million

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The crowdfunding campaign for Chris Roberts' PC space simulator Star Citizen has reached $19 million, propelling the record-setting effort to new heights. Star Citizen is the most crowdfunded project--of any kind--of all time.

"It's hard to believe we're here again already in just over a week! Star Citizen Backers have brought us to an astounding $19 million!," Roberts said in a statement. "Stretch goals we thought would take months to reach are being unlocked every week. Thanks to you, the dream of a true AAA PC game without the restrictions of a publisher has become a reality."

Should funding for Star Citizen reach $20 million, developer Cloud Imperium Games will add first-person combat, though no new details are available about this mode.

The $21 million Star Citizen stretch goal was also revealed today. If funding reaches this level, the Salvage Mechanic "career" will be introduced to the game. According to Roberts, "Salvage isn't an aside: it’s a career, with its own mechanic, story tie-ins, and universe-shaping endgames."

To mark the announcement of this stretch goal, Roberts revealed the first concept art (below) for Star Citizen's female explorer. Explaining her design, Roberts said, "we didn't want a cheap pinup," but rather a "badass space explorer."

Star Citizen has been in development at Cloud Imperium Games for more than a year. The game itself includes a "sophisticated storyline" that is set in a persistent online universe.

According to Roberts, it will fuse elements of his previous games, Wing Commander and Freelancer. Support for the virtual-reality headset Oculus Rift is planned.

Star Citizen is expected to be released in late 2014.

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