Because it's closer than any other game in the genre to the genre ideal. I have not put any money in, but I have played in their free alpha weekends, and that game is right on the edge of being incredible. (Where "on the edge" is defined as, "Has a crap ton more work to go".)
Honestly, that game in its current alpha state has given me experiences totally unlike anything I've seen in another game.
That's the thing that's insane to me. When I think "hey, can I do this", and it's something the designers didn't expressly intend, but because everything is done to the fidelity that they've made possible... there's nothing mechanically preventing you from doing so.
It's missing a lot still, and the scope creep has been incredible. Who knows when or if they'll ever meet even the basics of their original promises.
But for example, I found a strategy to board (and steal) spaceships that were intended to be "locked", because I managed to get to an entrance that was not locked, once. I watched some entertaining videos, like where people boarded NPC fighters mid-flight, or parked spaceships inside other spaceships they weren't really intended to fit into.
A lot of AAA games "cheat", where the visuals and the actual game mechanics are pretty different. For instance, in Tomb Raider, a dramatic ledge sequence, underneath, is just a couple arrow keys you can use to balance a value and progress forward. All the wind, leaves, character movement, all of that means nothing, it's just the art layer. Meanwhile, Star Citizen has dealt with bugs like the flashlight coming unstuck from a pilot's suit midflight.
It's incredibly unique. And maybe it's an incredibly unique tech demo that will never go anywhere. Maybe Crytek will take RSI for everything they have. Maybe eventually someone else will take the reigns after they go bankrupt and finish it up somehow with more manageable expectations. Who knows?
But it's the most interesting thing anyone's done in the industry in a long time.
they are selling a dream that appeals to many gamers. they are doing it very well and it is beautiful at times.
I suspect a good number grew up in the days of Wing Commander and Privateer and rose colored glasses remember those days. Now with money to spend it isn't much to fork out a little to relive that experience.
What's hilarious is that there are no rose-colored glasses necessary. Privateer's on GOG. Just go play Privateer. It's still fun and it doesn't cost $30, $150, or $125 million.
