Star Citizen, the infamous space simulator MMO game, isn't even slated to come out until at least 2017, but the release date hasn't stopped people for paying as much as $2,500 for individual starships as in-game content. And here are the 5 most expensive from least to most expensive.
These spaceships can't be sold, given, or traded in the game. They're yours and only yours. And don't even think about working around this system: transferring your account is also going to be against the user policy!
But who would pay hundreds of dollars for digital content that can't be transferred in a game that won't be out for years?
The answer: apparently everyone. All of these spaceships have sold out already.
We'll be seeing more releases again in the future, but check out the current most expensive ships in Star Citizen.
Genesis - $400
The Genesis transport ship is considered to be a real deal for buyers at $400 each.
If you're wondering what a transport ship is, it's basically an enormous space limousine. That's right: if you're not already tired after going to your real-life job that paid for your Genesis transport, you can haul people and cargo around in simulated outer space.
Hull E - $550
For the low price of only $550, you can purchase the Hull E, a Star Citizen transport freighter.
That's right, you can buy an outer-space big rig to drive around in your spare time, just for fun! There will probably even be Star Citizen truck stops for you to buy digital fuel and energy drinks along the way.
And if the price point is just too much for you, consider that Star Citizen offers an entire line of 7 more ships at the $350 price point. Ships go down to as low as $20 for the Aurora ES, but from what we're seeing they're probably the equivalent of a used outer-space Toyota Corolla.
890 Jump - $600
This luxury touring ship ran $600 a pop, which doesn't seem so bad considering that the 890 Jump is basically a space yacht.
The design and logic of the spaceship make perfect sense: most of the people who can afford a $600 "microtransaction" probably also own real yachts. When they're all tuckered out from the sunshine on their yacht's deck, they can kick back in their video game yacht with Star Citizen.
For a real mind-blower, imagine riding in your virtual 890 Jump while sitting in your real-life RM890 boat.
Idris-P - $1,250
The Idris is a frigate with two variants. The Idris-M costs $1,000 each, and the Idris-P is $1,250.
Originally, the ships were actually much "smaller" in digital terms than they are now, but that didn't stop people from buying them. Users who already owned the ship before the change got a free upgrade, which makes sense, since a downgrade would probably start riots.
Even now, the Idris boasts being not really as great as the other more specialized options. Luckily, since Star Citizen content is all arbitrary, the game creators can do whatever they want to improve the perceived value of the Idris options.
Javelin - $2,500
The Javelin is the most expensive and impressive ship in Star Citizen to date.
A Javelin costs $2,500 per ship, and all 200 ships of the original run have been sold.
The Javelin is a giant destroyer meant for combat, and although the Star Citizen website claims that these premium ships aren't meant to give players an advantage, it's hard to imagine that the $2,500 guns on this thing won't be blowing the competition away.
There's no word on whether we'll be seeing more of these, but having made $500,000 in a week, there's no reason why developer Cloud Imperium Games wouldn't keep pumping them out.
