Hello everyone,
The much-awaited release of Alpha 3.18.1 is set to launch later today. While we know that this incremental update is not a silver bullet, we expect that it will bring solutions to some of the ongoing issues some of you have been facing. The team has implemented a tremendous number of fixes in the last few weeks, and we believe that the infrastructure is now ready to go through heavy testing with all of you.
3.18.0 Free Fly from 13th April 2023
If you’re one of the ones who has said “This is the worst Star Citizen has ever been”…then hold our beer, as we plan to launch a Free Fly event starting Thursday, April 13 through April 20. Jokes aside (I just wanted to be the first one to make the meme), launching a Free Fly event is a beneficial move for us, as it allows us to test the game’s infrastructure with a larger number of players. More players mean more data, which helps us identify and fix problems more quickly.
This is particularly important as we continue to improve the game, and we want to make sure it can handle the increased traffic that comes with a rapidly-expanding playerbase. We also need to ensure that the game can handle peak-traffic moments, such as the Invictus Launch Week Free Fly we’ll host in late May. Separately, we want to give everyone a chance to experience the latest gameplay additions in Alpha 3.18, such as the new locations, new race tracks, and more. Regardless of any previous issues, we hope the Free Fly will provide an opportunity for people to explore and enjoy everything Star Citizen has to offer, thanks to the latest fixes in 3.18.1.
Naturally, as has been the case since 3.18.0 launched, things have been very fluid for us, meaning there is a chance this planned Free Fly may see a last-minute cancellation. We’ve conducted days of automated load testing to simulate peak traffic on our login service, and our login and entitlement fixes have held up to that volume. However, in the event that we experience catastrophic issues upon rolling out 3.18.1 to the live servers, we may need to pivot away from the planned Free Fly and instead focus all our efforts on addressing and resolving the issue at hand. In any case, our top priority is to keep you all informed, and we will provide updates as soon as we have new information to share.
Most importantly, we’d like to thank all of you for your support and understanding during the recent turbulence we have experienced. We believe that these moments, alongside the positive ones, define the journey we are on together. See you in the ‘verse!
