November 2025 Star Citizen Progress & Playability Report
This is the 23rd progress report about Star Citizen in the series.
Information for this report comes from the SC FOCUS features completion page that is available here: https://scfocus.org/star-citizen-s42-features-complete/
Stretch Goal Completion Scoring
Completion for Star Citizen & Squardon 42 is scored based on a total of 104 features that were chosen to represent major gameplay milestones for both projects. The 104 features were selected from the official Stretch Goals.
Progress in this reporting period
Features Updated This Period
Xenoarchaeology was changed from Not Implemented to Partial. The amount of findable alien relics has increased recently as well as the introduction of the Vanduul in Alpha 4.4 means that this feature has enough progress for a partial score.
Star Citizen & Squadron 42 Report Summary
Star Citizen is roughly 70% complete as of November 2025 (Alpha 4.4 LIVE).
*Note that Squadron 42 is feature complete. These features represent Squadron 42 features that are shared with Star Citizen and that are either currently playable in Star Citizen or not.
Playability Score
Playability Score: 3/5 - Buggy but playable
- Playability (3/5)
- Player Count (2/5)
- The Economy (2/5)
- Flight Model (4/5)
- Dogfighting (4/5)
- FPS Combat (3/5)
- AI (3/5)
- Cheating (3/5)
- Travel (3/5)
- Salvage (4/5)
- Mining (4/5)
- Trading (2/5)
- Racing (1/5)
- Bounty Hunting (3/5)
- Medical (3/5)
- Hunting (4/5)
- Piracy (3/5)
In this reporting period as of Alpha 4.4 (LIVE)
Playability - How Playable is Star Citizen Alpha 4.4?
This reporting period there was more game but many of the same usual bugs and issues persisted. How playable is Star Citizen? Enough to be able to try out what is available but also with enough instability to test the most patient of players.
Bugs, Instability, exploiting and hacking
Star Citizen Alpha 4.4 still has the Alpha label. As such instability is expected as the game is still some time away from feature complete (Star Citizen 1.0).
Many of the issues persist but the addition of more content, missions and locations made up for the problems. This score remains unchanged from the last report.
3/5
Player Count
Even with the addition of a new system (Nyx) this score remains unchanged even though this period saw player counts remain as high as 725 per shard. For this score to be a 3/5 player counts per shard will need to be over or near 1000. For a score of 4/5 over 10,000. A 5 out of 5 score represents the maximum universe size for seamless play (100,000s or millions).
Should the playable universe see 800+ player counts this score could be raised to 3 out of 5.
2/5
The Economy
As of Alpha 4.4 the Star Citizen economy is at a new low point. Even so, the additional markets keep the economy alive. Problems with the economy include: mass inflation of prices, devaluation of aUEC (due to mass exploits) and disproportionate pricing between ships and items. This score remains unchanged even though the Star Citizen economy saw a lot more activity this reporting period.
2/5
Flight Model
The score remains unchanged. Flying around is generally an interesting and fun experience.
4/5
Dogfighting
This rating remains unchanged.
4/5
FPS Combat
This score remains unchanged this reporting period. There are still many issues that plague FPS combat including issues reloading and action delays / desynch.
3/5
AI
This reporting period saw AI combat on foot become much more lethal. Animals also behave a bit more realistically and there have been some new creatures added to the game. This score remains unchanged for now but is expected to go up next year.
3/5
Hacking & Exploiting
Hacking, cheating and exploiting continue as per the last report but was less noticeable. This score remains unchanged.
3/5
Travel
This score remains unchanged from the previous patch. Travel still has issues and is in need of updating but as of Alpha 4.4 does not hinder gameplay too much.
3/5
Salvage
The salvage profession saw some additional features added this reporting period such as having to refine Construction Materials. Stripping ships of their components and weapons is useful and interesting.
4/5
Mining
As of Alpha 4.4 mining can be carried out in many ways in Star Citizen and is generally a playable profession. This score is being increased to 4 out of 5 to reflect its state overall.
4/5
Trading
As of Alpha 4.4 trading has seen massive inflation in Star Citizen and generally nonsensical prices for items. This score remains unchanged from the last report.
2/5
Racing
Racing as a profession in game is not in a very playable state and feels neglected.
1/5
Bounty Hunting
This score remains unchanged from the last report.
3/5
Medical
Medical saw the introduction of MedGel cannisters this reporting period as well as changes to the tiers of medical beds available. This score remains unchanged this reporting period.
3/5
Hunting
Additions to the fauna that can be hunted added to the experience. This score remains unchanged from the previous report.
4/5
Piracy
In the last report piracy was said to be in a state of limbo and it continues in this patch. Piracy in Star Citizen remains more like banditry as trade routes and cargo running (not contracted hauling) is still missing.
3/5
November 2025 Report Conclusion
This reporting period saw small additions to features and may improvements but also there were still many bugs making the experience overall a struggle in many ways. Issues with desync and lag continue as well as things flat out not working. The game continues to be in a state of heavy development and is expected to continue in 2026.
Suggestions to CIG
The economy this period saw one of its worst states in a long time. Players have made their own economy that dictates pricing of valued things and additions such as Wikelo have created separate markets for items in high demand. Star Citizen could be a game where pirates attack haulers carrying valuable goods but the current economy does not allow for much of that. Trucking involves buying goods in one place and selling them in another and piracy follows this activity. Currently Star Citizen is missing the heart of the game and feels as though the direction is continuing to bring players apart instead of together. A focus on returning trucking (cargo running) of valuable goods (both legal and illicit) and having actual trade lanes would make the heart of Star Citizen beat again. As it stands Star Citizen can best be described as an extraction shooter with space sim elements. A focus should be on the travel and flight experience instead of the ground combat that it is becoming. Scripted missions have eclipsed most other aspects of the game removing the organic feeling that used to be there.
The value could be returned to main profession activities such as Mining or Cargo Running and scripted missions and special items could be reduced. The current situation causes players to farm items outside of the game's core economy and occurring mostly in instanced locations. Trade lanes should return which would bring back piracy as a bonus, making the universe feel more alive and real and bringing back the value in the game's economy instead of external markets.
Caveats
The list of 104 features used to track "progress" in this report are listed at the Star Citizen Completion Features Percentage Page. This is a highly simplified list of features out of thousands of technical, art and gameplay features that the game(s) will end up having. 104 features were chosen as a simplified average set of gameplay features that the author guesses are plausibly required in the final games to be considered "complete".
The data is gathered as objectively as possible and is non-promotional in nature. This information is purely speculative based on personal criteria. Opinion can and should vary. It is provided for free and actually costs time and money to maintain.
Disclaimer
As always, this article does not represent the official views of Star Citizen. It is provided as speculation to help SC FOCUS org plan the strategy going forward. This information is provided to readers openly and freely and each reader is free to form their own opinion.