Cloud Imperium Games has published a follow-up FAQ on the Game Library system, and it changes the plan in one important way. From October 1, 2026 one pledge per game on your account is marked as protected, meaning it cannot be melted (exchanged for store credit) or gifted. The new part: you get to choose which pledge that is, as long as you do it between October 1 and November 1.
The FAQ was posted on Spectrum on September 16 after the original August announcement drew a lot of questions. It also settles the date. October 1 is official, and CIG says any mention of October 8 comes from a superseded version of the announcement.
What a protected pledge is
Access to Star Citizen comes from a pledge that includes the game, usually a starter package. Under the new system, one pledge is designated as the protected Game Access pledge for each game you own: Star Citizen and Squadron 42. CIG describes the purpose as making sure nobody can accidentally melt or gift away a game they own.
A protected pledge cannot be melted or gifted. CIG says that is the only change. The pledge stays in your Hangar, you keep everything in it, and it will be clearly marked so you can see which pledge is protected and why.
- At most two pledges are protected, one per game
- If a single pledge grants both Star Citizen and Squadron 42, that one pledge protects both
- Every other pledge stays exactly as meltable and giftable as it is today
- A protected pledge can still be upgraded with CCUs, the Cross-Chassis Upgrades that swap one ship for another
How the automatic choice is made
On October 1 the system picks a pledge for each game without any action from you. If you have a pledge granting that game which already cannot be melted, such as a High Admiral VIP reward, that one is protected and nothing changes for you. Otherwise, your oldest pledge granting that game is protected.
Two details catch people out. A pledge restored through Buy Back takes the date it was restored, so the automatic selection treats it as your newest pledge, not your oldest. And referral rewards, giveaway packs and subscriber rewards count if they include game access, so one of those could be selected if it is the oldest.
The October 1 to November 1 choice window
CIG originally planned for the automatic pick to be final. Many backers said they would rather choose for themselves, so there is now a one-month window to move the protection.
- You can move protection to any other pledge on your account that grants the same game, including one you buy back or purchase during the window
- Protection is chosen per game, so you can move Star Citizen protection to a different pledge and leave Squadron 42 where it is
- When you move it, the new pledge becomes protected and the previous one goes back to being meltable and giftable
- You can change your selection as many times as you like during the window
- The change is made from the My Gear page in your Hangar
- CIG will not send a separate reminder before November 1. On that date the selection is final and cannot be changed
Concierge and VIP accounts
VIP status by itself does not grant game access, but the High Admiral VIP reward in the Hangar does. Since March 18, 2022 that reward includes Star Citizen, and backers who held Squadron 42 before that date have it in their reward too. It already cannot be melted or gifted.
Because the system protects an unmeltable pledge first, the VIP reward automatically becomes the protected pledge for any game it includes, and purchased packages keep their normal melt and gift options. You can still move protection onto a purchased package during the window, but CIG points out there is no advantage: it only locks a package that would otherwise stay flexible.
If you have melted or gifted your game package
You do not need to buy a new package before the change, provided you still have game access on October 1. Protection is created from whatever grants your access at that moment, including VIP and backer rewards.
The warning is about the days before October 1. Until then the current rules apply, so if you melt or gift the only pledge granting you a game, you lose access exactly as you would today. If a pledge is your only source of game access, keep it until the protection is in place.
An unclaimed gift is a special case. A gifted pledge that was never claimed still sits in your Hangar and still counts as your game access. CIG prefers to protect a pledge you own outright, but if a pending gift is the only pledge granting that game, the gift is cancelled so it can no longer be claimed, and then it is protected.
What this means for new players
If you own one starter package, or are about to buy your first, there is nothing to do. That package becomes your protected pledge, you can still upgrade the ship inside it, and you were never going to melt your only way into the game. The choice window matters only if you own several game packages and care which one stays meltable. Note that a game package received through a giveaway or a referral reward counts like any other if it includes game access. Our Star Citizen referral code guide explains how the 50,000 UEC signup bonus works and how to apply code STAR-6WPK-3K56 before you enlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
October 1, 2026. CIG says that is the official date and that October 8, which appeared in an earlier version of the announcement, is not correct.
Yes. Between October 1 and November 1, 2026 you can move protection to any other pledge that grants the same game, from the My Gear page in your Hangar. On November 1 the selection becomes final.
No. A protected pledge stays in your Hangar with all of its contents and can still be upgraded with CCUs. The only change is that it cannot be melted or gifted.
Not automatically. A restored pledge takes the date it was restored, so the automatic selection treats it as your newest. You can still choose it manually during the October 1 to November 1 window.
No, as long as you still have game access on October 1. Just do not melt or gift your only source of game access before then, because the current rules apply until the protection is in place.
Source: Updates to Game Access – FAQ. Details come from CIG’s Spectrum post Updates to Game Access – FAQ, published September 16, 2026, and the original Updates to Pledge Gifting and Game Access announcement of August 27.
