How to start playing Star Citizen
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account creation on robertsspaceindustries.com
It cannot be applied retroactively.
Starter packages from $45 USD
Windows PC only, not on Steam or PS5
Your first ten minutes in Star Citizen
You spawn in a habitation room in the city you picked as your home location, Lorville if you followed step 4. Leave the hab, take the transit to the spaceport, and use an ASOP terminal to retrieve your starter ship. Once you are in the seat, press U for ship power and I to start the engines, then request launch. Missions come from the Contracts app in your mobiGlas: take a delivery run first, they are the gentlest way to learn the loop and they pay.
Three things catch out almost every new player. Your weapons and shields only work in SCM mode, never in NAV. A drawn weapon blocks kiosks, ladders and most interactions, so holster it. And keep your helmet on outside, toggling it with Alt + H only to eat or drink. Full detail, plus the video walkthrough, is in step 5, the tutorial guide.
Choose how you want to start
SELECT AN ONBOARDING ROUTE BELOWQuick start: in game in 10 minutes
Full beginner walkthrough, 7 sections
Star Citizen Beginner Guide
New to Star Citizen? This is the guide I wish I had. It walks you through your first session in seven steps, from installing the game and sorting your controls to picking a starter ship, choosing where to spawn and earning your first aUEC.
Everything here is current for Alpha 4.10 and verified against the live servers. If you only have ten minutes, use the quick start above. If you want to understand what you are doing and why, work through all seven sections in order. Compiled and maintained by Evocati Test Flight member CMDR Quattro.
The 7 things a new player should do first
What Star Citizen is, and what you need to run it
Which Star Citizen starter ship is best in 2026?
How to buy and install Star Citizen
Where to start: the best starting location
The in game tutorial, and whether to bother
Making your first aUEC
Star Citizen controls and keybinds for beginners
Where should you start? For most new players the answer is Lorville on Hurston, because Hurston sits at the centre of Stanton, so every other planet is a shorter quantum jump away. If you would rather start somewhere with heavier traffic and easier early missions, microTech is the other strong pick.
Read the full starting location guide →How to buy Star Citizen and claim the referral bonus
Star Citizen tools and reference guides
Star Citizen beginner questions
How do I get started in Star Citizen?
Buy a game package, install the launcher, and run through the seven steps above. You do not need anything beyond the starter package to begin. Budget about half an hour for the download and first login. Full buying and install guide.
What is the best starting location in Star Citizen?
For most new players, microTech or Hurston. Both put you near a major city with missions, shops and a hospital. Full breakdown in our starting location guide.
Should I start in Stanton or Pyro?
Stanton. It has security forces, working hospitals, shops and the gentlest missions, and it is where every beginner system in the game was built. Pyro is lawless by design, with no security response and far more hostile players, so treat it as somewhere to visit once you can already fly and fight. Where to spawn, in detail.
Do I need an SSD to install Star Citizen?
Yes, treat it as required rather than recommended. The client is roughly 100GB and streams assets constantly while you play, so installing to a hard drive causes long loads, missing terrain and crashes. Full system requirements.
What is the best starter ship in Star Citizen?
The Aurora and Mustang Alpha are the cheapest ways in, and either is enough to start earning. See our starter ship comparison for what each one actually does well.
How much does Star Citizen cost?
The cheapest game package is around 45 USD and includes a ship. Everything after that is optional. You can earn any ship in game with aUEC. Current package prices and what each one includes.
Do I need to buy a ship to play?
No. Your game package includes one, and you can rent or earn others in game.
What should I do first in Star Citizen?
Sort your keybinds, then run a few delivery or bounty missions from your starting city. They teach the core loops and pay well enough to fund the next step. How to make money in Star Citizen.
Is Star Citizen hard for beginners?
It is unforgiving rather than difficult. Nothing explains itself, and most early frustration comes from not knowing a control exists. That is what this guide is for, and the keybind reference is the fastest fix.
About this guide
Written and maintained by CMDR Quattro, an Evocati Test Flight member, and checked against the live servers each patch rather than copied from patch notes. The seven sections above are updated whenever a build changes something a new player would trip over.
Found something out of date? The fastest route is the section page itself, each one carries its own verification note.