Star Citizen will not require a subscription not be free-to-play, it will will be available for a one-time purchase. And while players will be able to play in the Star Citizen universe for free, there will also be virtual items available for purchase with in-game credits so players can customize their ships and other items.

While the Kickstarter campaign ended late 2012, Chris Roberts' Cloud Imperium has kept on racking in donations through its official website and in the 11 months since the end of the Kickstarter has added an additional $24 million, for a total $26 million in funding.

It looks like the Hornet launch couldn’t end without one final stretch goal unlocked! Our backers have hit the incredible $26 million mark, which enables us to expand the capital ship mechanics in Star Citizen.

• Enhanced Capital Ship Systems – In addition to the command and control systems we’ve already outlined, we’re going to expand capital ship functions! Lead a damage control team to fight fires and repair key systems during battle, control internal bulkheads to slow boarders and man a number of consoles, like navigation and engineering, that will make commanding a capital ship feel even more immersive.

In honor of this goal, I’d like to share the very first in-engine shots of the Idris corvette’s interior, showing the hangar bay and engine room. The design team is very eager to get to work on expanding capital ship interactivity; we have some new ideas about how to make crews interesting and can’t wait to try them out.

For the $28 million stretch goal, we have something we’re very excited about here at Cloud Imperium: a second option for your Star Citizen starter ship! Here’s the goal:

• New Starter Ship – The team at Consolidated Outland has decided to take Roberts Space Industries head on in 2944 by premiering the Mustang personal spacecraft. We will use these additional resources to create another ship company and starter ship for Star Citizen. The new ship will be offered for sale alongside the Aurora, so players have a choice between two options to begin the game!

Founded by maverick trillionaire Silas Koerner, Consolidated Outland is an up-and-coming spacecraft concern, the first ever headquartered on a frontier world. Koerner, who made his sizable fortune in jump-communications, founded the company as an attempt to strike back at what he sees as the overly-regulated spacecraft industry. With facilities established as far from possible from the prying eyes of competing corporations, Outland is quickly becoming one to watch.

After finding initial success with spacecraft conversion kits, Outland is now ready to run with the big boys: the new Mustang spacecraft line is preparing to go into mass production is priced to compete with Roberts Space Industries’ Aurora. Using newly-developed construction techniques and ultralight material alloys sometimes considered unsafe, the Mustang pushes power ratios to the limit. The result is a sleek, stylish spacecraft that weighs less than the Aurora and has more options for engines and thrusters… at the expense of some stability, weapons hardpoints and cargo capacity.

The Mustang isn’t planned as a replacement for the Aurora, it’s another option that may better suit some play-styles. Want a reliable personal starship? Go with the Aurora. Want something with a little more power, at the expense of cargo? Try the Mustang!

We plan to assign a top concept artist to develop the look of the Mustang… and, as always, you’ll follow the whole process! When it’s ready, we’ll make Mustang packages available in the pledge store; users who prefer the new ship to the base Aurora will be able to make the switch at no cost (LTI will transfer, where applicable.) New players will be able to start the game with a significant choice, increasing immersion all the more!

The additional funding that backers are providing let’s us secure the resources to build ships, planets and systems that go beyond the original budget… but not the original vision. Thank you for helping make Star Citizen all that much better, with more immersion and more choices that will allow players to shape their experiences.

— Chris Roberts