Star Citizen still hasn't launched, but it's already banning cheaters
How did Cloud Imperium Games respond to the discovery of exploits within Star Citizen?
Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) responded to the discovery of exploits within Star Citizen by investigating the issues and taking action against players who took advantage of them. The company identified and suspended over 600 accounts involved in exploitative behaviors and removed the illicitly gained in-game currency (aUEC) from the game's ecosystem. CIG's Senior Director of Player Relations, Will Leverett, stated that while such exploits are expected at this stage of development, continued abuse for personal gain would not be tolerated.
What specific exploit did players use in Star Citizen's Alpha 2.23.1 update to make extra money?
In Star Citizen's Alpha 2.23.1 update, players discovered a "money doubling" exploit that allowed them to make extra in-game currency. They could do this by storing a freight ship, selling their cargo, and then returning to the ship to find the cargo ready to be sold a second time. This exploit led to significant inflation in the price of basic in-game resources within a matter of days. Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) later investigated and suspended over 600 accounts involved in the exploit, while also removing the illicitly gained in-game currency from the game's ecosystem.
What impact did the "money doubling" exploit have on the in-game economy, specifically regarding the price of basic resources?
The "money doubling" exploit in Star Citizen had a significant impact on the in-game economy, causing inflation in the price of basic resources. Players were able to easily make extra money by storing a freight ship, selling their cargo, and then returning to the ship to find the cargo ready to be sold a second time. As knowledge of this exploit spread, the price of basic in-game resources saw significant inflation in a matter of days. To combat this issue, Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) investigated and identified multiple exploits within the game that compromised stability and negatively impacted the in-game economy. CIG suspended over 600 accounts involved in exploitative behaviors while also removing the illicitly gained in-game currency (aUEC) from the Star Citizen ecosystem.