Star Citizen new screenshot

Here’s your first look at Star Citizen’s Ray Tracing Global Illumination


At CitizenCon 2953, Cloud Imperium revealed some cool Ray Tracing Global Illumination (RTGI) effects that are on the way to Star Citizen and Squadron 42. And, we’ve got a video to show you these effects in action. In the video, you’ll see lots of scenes with RTGI and without it. This will give you a good idea of what to look forward to.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any direct-feed version of this video. And, since this is X/Twitter, its overall quality is sub-par. Despite that, you’ll immediately notice the areas in which RTGI can improve the game’s graphics.

At CitizenCon 2953, Cloud Imperium also shared an impressive StarEngine Tech Demo video that you should all check out. Do note though that this video does not have the RTGI that is being showcased in the video above. And then we have this video that shows off 25 minutes of in-game footage from Squadron 42.

Cloud Imperium has been criticized by a lot but both Star Citizen and Squadron 42 look better than most other triple-A games. Both of them have a huge scope, and both of them feel like next-gen experiences. Yes, they have been in development for a while, but their tech is beyond what most games can accomplish, even in 2023.

Lastly, Cloud Imperium has not shared any ETA on when these two games will come out. My guess is that we’re looking at a 2026 release date for Squadron 42. The developers claimed that the game is future-complete and that they have entered its polishing stage. So, two years for polishing such a huge game seems reasonable. Add to it one additional year and there you go. Obviously, we are simply speculating but I don’t really expect to see Squadron 42 earlier than 2026.

Enjoy and stay tuned for more!