Cloud Imperium Games has released Alpha version 4.5 for "Star Citizen", which brings experimental support for virtual reality headsets. According to engine developer Silvan Hau, who announced the news in the official forum, the VR implementation is the result of a "small group of dedicated engineers" who took the initiative to experiment with virtual reality. Alpha version 4.5 shows the first fruits of this work. Hau himself is a VR enthusiast who has long advocated for VR support in "Star Citizen".

The developer emphasizes that the current implementation is only intended for trying out and does not represent the final state. As it is an experimental feature, not every gameplay element and every user interface behaves as expected in VR mode. Users must expect problems. For example, holographic displays such as ship radars, visor effects due to frost or rain, and effects when interacting with water are currently missing.

Better late than never: "Star Citizen" fully playable in VR

Despite these limitations, the VR support is meeting with a great response. Both under the announcement post and on Reddit, the first reactions from users who have tested the VR mode are predominantly positive.

According to the official description, the VR mode brings the entire game into virtual reality: from the main menu and spaceship control to the sections played from a first-person perspective. Useful is the ability to switch between VR mode and the so-called "cinematic mode" at any time by pressing a button, which displays the action on a virtual screen. The cinematic mode mirrors the desktop resolution, so even the ultrawide aspect ratio can be used in VR without having to remove the headset. With some VR headsets like Meta Quest 3, the switch is even controlled automatically: as soon as the headset is put on, the VR mode activates automatically, and when it is removed, the game automatically returns to desktop mode.

Support for VR controllers is still missing. Players must therefore continue to navigate the universe with mouse and keyboard. This also applies to those game sections where they are on foot. Users who are already operating at the performance limit of their computer should also note that VR mode requires significantly more computing power.

According to Silvan Hau, the focus is currently on improving the existing VR implementation and fixing known problems. As soon as the VR mode runs stably, they want to examine additional functions, including support for VR controllers, full-body tracking, and face and eye tracking.

"Star Citizen": Soon one billion US dollars in revenue

It has now been almost twelve years since "Star Citizen" last offered VR support. In February 2014, an update was released that allowed users to view their own hangar through the lenses of the PC VR headset Oculus Rift for the first time. A feature that had been promised as part of the 12-million-dollar stretch goal. However, the VR support was removed again in the very next patch.

While Cloud Imperium Games is tackling another project with the VR mode, the game continues to be in development and still has no release date. At least the first episode of the separately available single-player campaign "Squadron 42" is scheduled to be released in 2026 according to current plans.

As astonishing as the long development time are the sums that the studio has collected since 2022: they are now approaching the mark of one billion US dollars. The majority of Cloud Imperium Games’ revenue comes from ongoing crowdfunding, especially from the sale of virtual spaceships and vehicles to the community, supplemented by starter packages, optional subscriptions, and cosmetic content.

If you want to experience "Star Citizen" in VR and do not yet own a headset, you will find a suitable device for space simulations in our VR headset guide.

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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.