Using the RSI Launcher

When you open the RSI Launcher you will see:

• A large LAUNCH button — this launches the game in whatever channel is currently selected.
• A channel selector — usually in the top area or a dropdown. This switches between LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows., PTUPTUPublic Test Universe — a test server where players try upcoming patches before they go live. Backers above a certain pledge tier or who get invited can access it., and EPTUEPTUEvocati PTU — the earliest, NDA-bound test wave. Limited to a small group of long-time backers. Often the first to break, the first to feedback..
• A patch notes section — shows what changed in the latest update. Worth reading after a major patch to understand what is new or fixed.
• Settings gear — launcher settings including install location, VRAM allocation for shader cache, and network options.
• A VERIFY button — appears when a channel is selected. Checks all installed files against expected checksums and re-downloads any corrupted or missing files.

The LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows. channel is the stable, publicly released version of Star Citizen. It receives updates only after patches have been tested through the PTUPTUPublic Test Universe — a test server where players try upcoming patches before they go live. Backers above a certain pledge tier or who get invited can access it. process. This is where the majority of the player population is at any given time.

Play on LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows. for your first sessions. It is the most stable option, has the most players online, and your characters and progress here are separate from the test environments.

The Public Test UniversePTUPublic Test Universe — a test server where players try upcoming patches before they go live. Backers above a certain pledge tier or who get invited can access it. is a copy of the game running an upcoming patch before it ships to LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows.. When a new major update is in testing, CIGCIGCloud Imperium Games — the studio building Star Citizen and Squadron 42. Founded by Chris Roberts in 2012. opens it to all players here first.

Key differences from LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows.:

• Your characters and progress are copied from LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows. at the start of a test wave — but changes you make on PTU do not carry back to LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows..
• Bugs are more common. This is intentional — you are testing a patch.
• Fewer players are online.
• CIGCIGCloud Imperium Games — the studio building Star Citizen and Squadron 42. Founded by Chris Roberts in 2012. may issue a wipeWipeWhen CIG resets player progress — credits, aUEC, owned items — usually with a major patch. Pledged ships and UEC stay; everything earned in-game resets. of PTU characters at any time during testing.

Selecting PTU in the Launcher downloads a separate copy of the game to your drive — it does not overwrite your LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows. installation.

The Early Public Test UniverseEPTUEvocati PTU — the earliest, NDA-bound test wave. Limited to a small group of long-time backers. Often the first to break, the first to feedback. is even earlier than PTU — it is where the most bleeding-edge builds go before broader PTU testing. Access is sometimes limited to invited testers or specific backerBackerAnyone who has pledged for Star Citizen. The community's preferred term over 'customer' or 'player' because the game is crowdfunded. tiers (formerly called Evocati).

As a new player, ignore EPTUEPTUEvocati PTU — the earliest, NDA-bound test wave. Limited to a small group of long-time backers. Often the first to break, the first to feedback.. It is unstable by design and exists for catching early bugs before broader testing. Play on LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows..

In the Launcher, look for a dropdown near the LAUNCH button that shows the current channel (usually “LIVE”). Click it to see available options. If you switch to a channel you have not downloaded yet, the Launcher will prompt you to download it — this is a full additional copy of the game (another ~100 GB).

You can have multiple channels installed simultaneously if you have the storage space. Most players only keep LIVELiveThe main public branch — the version everyone plays by default. Distinguished from PTU/EPTU during testing windows. installed and download PTU temporarily during test phases.

If the game crashes repeatedly, behaves strangely, or fails to load correctly, the first troubleshooting step is to verify your files:

1. Open the RSI Launcher
2. Select the channel you play on (usually LIVE)
3. Click VERIFY
4. Wait — this can take 15–30 minutes as it checks every file
5. Any corrupted or missing files will be re-downloaded automatically

Verify is the fix for a surprising number of issues. If the game was working and then suddenly is not after an update, verify first before deeper troubleshooting.

• Library folder — where the game is installed. Can be changed here if you need to move to a different drive.
• VRAM size — tells the shader compiler how much video memory your GPU has. Set this correctly (your GPU’s actual VRAM amount) for optimal shader cache size.
• Background downloads — the Launcher can download updates in the background while you are not playing. Useful for keeping up with frequent patch cycles automatically.