Is Star Citizen on Steam, Xbox, PS5 or Epic?
Short version: no on all four. Star Citizen is PC only, sold and distributed direct by Cloud Imperium Games at robertsspaceindustries.com. Here's the full breakdown of every platform people ask about and why CIG never put it on Steam.
Where to actually get it
Only at robertsspaceindustries.com. Create an RSI account, pick a Game Package (cheapest is the Citizen Starter Pack at $60), pay direct, download the RSI Launcher, install. The whole flow takes about 15 minutes plus the 150 GB download.
If you paste STAR-JTV7-FXLR in the Referral Rewards field at signup, the new account also gets 50,000 UEC of in-game currency on top of the package. Same package price either way.
Every platform people ask about
Steam Not on Steam
Star Citizen has never been on Steam and CIG has no plans to put it there. The Steam Community forum threads asking "when will it come to Steam" date back to 2014 and still get the same answer. PC only, RSI launcher only.
Xbox (Series X/S, Xbox One, Game Pass) Not on Xbox
No Xbox version exists. No announced timeline. Not on Game Pass either. CIG has said console releases are theoretically possible after the 1.0 release, but in 2026 there's no firm roadmap. The game's CPU-bound performance characteristics also make a console port technically hard.
PlayStation 5 / PS4 Not on PlayStation
Same as Xbox. No PS5 version, no PS4 version, no announced plans. Same theoretical-after-1.0 statement applies.
Epic Games Store Not on Epic
Not on Epic. Not on GOG. Not on Humble Bundle. Not on Amazon. Not on Origin. Not on any third-party PC storefront. Direct from RSI is the only legitimate purchase channel. Anyone selling "Star Citizen keys" on resale marketplaces is selling something fake or stolen.
Nintendo Switch Not on Switch
No. The Switch hardware cannot run Star Citizen and there's no version planned.
Mac (macOS, Apple Silicon) No native version
No native Mac client exists. Some Apple Silicon users have reported partial success via Crossover or Parallels Desktop, but performance is poor and Mac is not officially supported. If you only have a Mac, you can't really play Star Citizen.
Linux Unofficial via Proton / Wine
Star Citizen runs on Linux via Proton (Steam Play) or Wine with manual setup. Not officially supported but community guides exist. Performance is roughly 10 to 20 percent below Windows on the same hardware. The RSI Launcher is the trickiest piece to configure.
Steam Deck Technically yes, practically no
The Steam Deck can boot Star Citizen via Proton, but the experience is rough. The Deck's CPU is too weak for the game's CPU-bound performance, and the RSI Launcher needs manual setup outside Steam. Expect 15 to 25 FPS in cities, frequent crashes, and a fragile install. For SC, use a real desktop or laptop.
Why CIG never put Star Citizen on Steam
Three reasons, in order of importance.
1. The 30 percent Steam cut
Steam takes a 30 percent revenue share on game sales (28 percent above $10 million in lifetime sales, 20 percent above $50 million). Star Citizen has raised over $800 million in crowdfunding pledges. If those had gone through Steam, $240 million would have left CIG's hands and gone to Valve. Selling direct keeps every dollar in the development budget.
2. Control over patches and the alpha
Star Citizen is a live alpha that ships patches on its own cadence (sometimes major content drops, sometimes hotfixes hours apart). Steam's update model and storefront expectations don't fit well with an in-flux alpha that has wipes, regular instability windows, and a 14-day refund window that would be brutal on a $60 alpha product. Direct distribution lets CIG manage all of that without Valve's policies on top.
3. The pledge model doesn't fit Steam
Steam sells "the game" as a single SKU. Star Citizen's funding model is different: a base Game Package plus optional individual ship pledges that range from $40 to several hundred dollars. The RSI store handles ship CCUs (Cross-Chassis Upgrades), ship-melt-and-re-buy, account UEC balances, store credits, monthly subscriber tiers and Referral Rewards. None of that maps cleanly onto Steam's product page format.
The honest bottom line: Steam works for finished games and most early-access titles. It doesn't work for a 13-year crowdfunded alpha with a $40-to-$1000 pledge tier system. CIG made the right call going direct, and they have publicly said they have no intention of changing it.
How to actually buy it (with the bonus)
- Go to
robertsspaceindustries.com/enlist(the orange button below pre-fills the code). - Create your account. Account Name, email, password, date of birth.
- Paste STAR-JTV7-FXLR in the Referral Rewards field at the bottom, tick Terms, click Enlist Now.
- Pick a Starter Pack. The Citizen at $60 is the right default for most people.
- Download the RSI Launcher from
robertsspaceindustries.com/download, install the game (it's ~150 GB on an SSD).
Skip the wondering. There's no Steam version coming. Create the account direct and get the 50,000 UEC bonus at the same time.
STAR-JTV7-FXLR Create account at RSIA word about "Star Citizen keys" on resale sites
You'll see listings on Eneba, G2A, Kinguin and similar key-reseller marketplaces claiming to sell Star Citizen keys for less than RSI's price. These are not legitimate. RSI does not issue keys to third parties, and any "Star Citizen key" on a resale marketplace is either non-functional, the result of a chargeback fraud chain, or attached to a stolen account that gets banned within weeks. Buy direct from RSI. There is no legitimate cheaper third-party source.
FAQ
Is Star Citizen on Steam?
No. Star Citizen has never been on Steam and CIG has no plans to put it there. The game is sold direct at robertsspaceindustries.com and runs through the RSI Launcher.
Is Star Citizen on Xbox?
No. PC only. No announced Xbox timeline. CIG has said console versions are theoretically possible after the 1.0 release, but no firm plan in 2026.
Is Star Citizen on PS5?
No. PC only. No announced PlayStation timeline either.
Is Star Citizen on Epic Games Store?
No. Not on Epic, GOG, Humble or any other third-party launcher. Direct from RSI is the only legitimate purchase channel.
Where can I buy Star Citizen?
Only at robertsspaceindustries.com directly. Create an RSI account, pick a Game Package, pay direct, download the RSI Launcher. Use referral code STAR-JTV7-FXLR at signup and the new account gets 50,000 UEC on top of the package.
Why is Star Citizen not on Steam?
Three reasons. Steam takes a 30 percent cut and CIG keeps that to fund development. CIG wants full control over the alpha's patch cadence and policies. The pledge model (individual ship sales, CCUs, melt, account UEC) doesn't fit Steam's storefront.
Is Star Citizen on Mac?
No native Mac client. Some users have partial success via Crossover or Parallels on Apple Silicon, but performance is poor and it is not officially supported.
Can I play Star Citizen on Steam Deck?
Technically yes via Proton, but not well. The Deck's CPU is too weak for the game's CPU-bound performance, the launcher needs manual setup, and stability is fragile. Use a desktop or laptop.
Are "Star Citizen keys" on G2A / Eneba / Kinguin legit?
No. RSI does not issue keys to third parties. Any "Star Citizen key" on a resale marketplace is either non-functional, fraud-linked, or attached to an account that gets banned. Buy direct from RSI.