Man Spends $30,000 on Star Citizen

Earlier this year, it came to light that someone had spent $22,000 on Star Citizen. As it turns out, he wasn't the only person to plunk down a lot of money on the upcoming PC space sim from Chris Roberts.

PC Gamer has a great, wide-ranging interview with an almost-40 man named Chris, known online as Ozy311, who says he's spent "about $30,000" on Star Citizen. What does $30,000 buy you? Everything, apparently.

"I literally have everything and even then, multiple of everything, many times," he said. "[Laughs] I have the highest package in the game, which is called 'The Completionist with the Million Mile High Club,' which is a base package that's $15,000. It didn't start out that way, though. When I started getting into the game years ago, it was this and that, and this and that. And then after I started to see the product mature, I was convinced it was what I also dreamed of, and was hooked. I went in deep."

Chris says he works for a "very large company" in the computing operations industry and that he pays for his Star Citizen habit not with his main income, but rather money he's made from second jobs. In addition, he doesn't pay for Star Citizen with credits because "that'd be dumb."

"I guess I've just grown up my entire life thinking that where you acquire your entertainment from is your choice and should not be judged by the world as a whole" -- Chris

"Some people buy real boats; I buy pixel boats," Chris said.

Asked if people in his life question his hobby and his decision to spend so much money on virtual items, Chris said it varies from person to person. His wife and children know, but he hasn't told his parents because he thinks they wouldn't understand.

"I guess I've just grown up my entire life thinking that where you acquire your entertainment from is your choice and should not be judged by the world as a whole," he said.

He added that, in his youth, he owned expensive cars, which undoubtedly cost more than what he's spent so far on Star Citizen. "That's no different. I guarantee I spent more money on my Hondas and my import love than I have on this game," he said.

One part of Star Citizen that Chris finds so appealing is the social/community aspect of it, as well as the general maturity of the game's audience. 

"I spent 10 years of my gaming life in World of Warcraft. And I met amazing friends in that game, so I really truly think that this game is more of a community and social aspect than it is just a game," he said. "And everybody that I've met so far--I'm in an organization called COVE, Cosmic Ventures--these are some of the most mature, respectful, and great people to be around that I've met anywhere. It’s not a bunch of kids sitting around 'pew pewing' about Call of Duty."

As developer Cloud Imperium Games continues to add new content to Star Citizen, Chris will be waiting to buy it. "I know that I'm going to spend more," he said.

PC Gamer's full interview is stuffed with much more interesting insight. Read it here.

Star Citizen's crowdfunding campaign began in October 2012. To date, the game has raised more than $94 million, making it by far the most successful crowdfunding project of any kind in history.

Recently, Cloud Imperium Games announced a series of celebrities that will appear in Star Citizen's single-player campaign, including Gary Oldman, Andy Serkis, Mark Hamil, Gillian Anderson, and more.