Arena Commander is an in simulation game played from a sim pod within the Star Citizen universe. For Star Citizen Alpha, Arena Commander is accessed through the main menu and consists of single player and multiplayer game modes for open flying, dogfighting, and ship racing.
WHAT DO I NEED TO ACCESS ARENA COMMANDER?
To access Star Citizen Alpha one will need an RSI account and a pledge package which includes a ship and access to the full game, including Arena Commander.
WHAT SHIPS WILL I BE ABLE TO FLY IN ARENA COMMANDER?
Arena Commander currently allows all flyable ships in Free Flight and in private matches. For ranked Arena Commander games larger, multicrew ships are not able to be used and select ships may not be available in combat modes. However, an Arena Commander appropriate loaner is available to anyone who owns one of those ships.
For more information on what loaners are given to what ships, go here: Loaner Matrix.
WHAT GAME MODES CAN I PLAY?
Star Citizen’s Arena Commander environment is not a single game mode, but rather an amalgamation of single-player and multiplayer experiences. The following modes are available in Arena Commander:
Single-Player modes include:
- Vanduul Swarm – Horde mode with two AI wingmen against Vanduul pilots and ships.
- Pirate Swarm – Horde mode with two AI wingmen against pirates and human ships.
- Free Flight – Open flight with small landing pads.
- Murray Cup Racing – Laps one of three available race-track configurations.
Multiplayer modes include:
- Battle Royale – Free for all ship dogfighting against other players.
- Squadron Battle – Team deathmatch dogfighting against other players.
- Vanduul Swarm Coop – Cooperative horde mode with up to three player wingmen against Vanduul pilots and ships.
- Pirate Swarm Coop – Cooperative horde mode with up to three player wingmen against pirates and human ships.
- Murray Cup Racing – Head to head racing against other players in three race-track configurations.
Maps include:
- Dying Star – Inspired by the Pyro System’s unstable solar activity.
- Broken Moon – Inspired by the debris fields of Taranis II.
- New Horizons Speedway – Inspired by the Murray Cup approved New Horizons Speedway in the Ellis system.
- Old Vanderal (difficulty: easy)
- Rikkord Memorial Raceway (difficulty: medium)
- Defford Link (difficulty: hard)
HOW CAN I CHANGE MY SHIP’S EQUIPMENT?
You can alter your ship’s equipment by going into the “Ship Customization” menu from the main Arena Commander menu page. Any changes made here will persist throughout all game modes including the Persistent Universe.
Use caution when modifying the load-out of a ship: When a ship is lost, destroyed, or insurance-claimed in the Persistent Universe, any weapons or equipment that are not part of the standard load-out may be lost with it! In the future, there may be options to extend insurance to cover non-standard equipment, cargo, and personal belongings.
CAN I TRY DIFFERENT SHIPS AND EQUIPMENT?
Yes! Completing multiplayer public matches earns you Rental Equipment Credits (REC), which can be used to rent ships and equipment for use within Arena Commander. Currently, you can only customize the load-out of the ships that you have pledged for. REC-rented ships cannot be customized, and are only available in Arena Commander.
ARE THERE REWARDS FOR COMPLETING EACH MODE?
Yes! By defeating the Pirate Swarm in a multiplayer match, the “2949 Pirate Aggressor” title will be awarded to your account, unlocking access to pledge for the Aegis Gladius or Drake Caterpillar – Pirate Edition on the Pledge Store.
Similarly, by completing all waves of a multiplayer Vanduul Swarm match, you will earn the “2946 Aggressor” title, which will also grant your account the necessary clearance to pledge for the coveted Vanduul Glaive, subject to availability.
These special ships cannot be gifted! If you want to use this special ship, you must earn it yourself. Additionally, an account may only own one copy of each ship.