Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) is revealing a major overhaul of Star Citizen’s long-running referral scheme, which will come into effect on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The extensive overhaul is designed to bring the system into the modern age, provide greater incentives for both returning and new players, and enhance the overall user interface. The existing referral scheme, which has been in place since October 2015, will give way to a more generous and visually appealing version.
The anchor of the initiative is a revamped user interface with animated milestones, better progress tracking, and a redesigned leaderboard. The new leaderboard will be even more transparent with additional filters such as weekly, monthly, yearly, and all-time, and permit users to track their referral milestones more easily. Perhaps most significantly, the reward system itself is going to become much more desirable. Future rewards will include themed cosmetic objects, a range of Star Citizen vessels—like the powerful Idris-M and the rare Vanduul Scythe—and even specialized transport like the MISC R.A.P.T.O.R. cleaning vehicle, which will be included later.
For current referrers, CIG has created a “Legacy Ladder” to ensure that all previous referrals are acknowledged and still gain reward. The old players will continue to move forward on both the old and new incentive ladders with any new referrals adding to each ladder. This two-at-a-time progress system is designed to reward the long-time fans while making the new rewards available.
New recruits, or “Recruits,” will see an ample boost in their initial rewards as well. Upon signing up using a referral code, newcomers will get 50,000 UEC (United Earth Credits), more than the previous 5,000 UEC. Also added is a 24-hour window for using referral codes on new accounts to give further convenience in the case that one might not have one available at the moment.
CIG’s incentive to make such a radical overhaul is to repair the previous design and reward system of the old program and come up with one that will appeal to the new Star Citizen player base. Officially speaking, the reason stated is modernization, but some analysts are of the view that this revamp is also an intentional effort to revitalize new player pickups because the very ambitious game starts its protracted development cycle. The release of this reformed program on July 2nd is expected to add vigor to the undertakings of the community’s development.
