It’s official: Chris Roberts is delusional.
At this point, Roberts wants so much put in that the amount which gets left out in order for the game to actually work will be worse than Spore.
GameStar gives a roundabout look at why official release speculations have stopped (English translation via Google, bolding mine):
The dynamic economic system called “Quantum” is being gradually integrated into Star Citizen, like so many other elements of the game. According to current planning, you should see the first parts in 2021. However, [Chris Roberts] emphasizes that this is his personal goal and not a promise.
Because when you’ve spent $300 million and fans are still waiting for a working space combat game, what makes total sense is reinventing economics.
In fact, so gradually that it’s imperceptible. 
It’s not even that anymore. As mentioned up in post #518, it’s now Second Life set in space.
That’s still what the fans are hoping for though. They aren’t going to get it. Or anything.
Wait, this was from 2016, how did you know $750 was going to be a number significant to Donald Trump?
I’ll be damned.
New patch coming. Mostly bling & hype, of course.
German translation via Google:
This is the new content in Alpha 3.11
- Fewer restrictions: the gun ban zones are loosened, the police are now enforcing the laws.
- Freight deck: The rest stations in space will have their own freight deck.
- New spaceships: With the Origin 100i, Origin 125a, Origin 135c and Mercury Star Runner, there will be a total of four additional spaceships.
- More weapons: For the shooter sections of the game, you will soon be able to buy the Behring BR2 Ballistic Shotgun and the Behring GP-33 grenade launcher in stores in the game world.
- Inventory: The inventory gets further improvements and lets you manage food, beverages and mined materials.
- Better physics: The characters will react to direct and indirect physical forces in the future. In addition, the throwing mechanics are improved.
- Better looking planets and moons: All planets and moons in the game have been redrawn for compatibility with PlanetTech v4 and their textures and geology have been updated.
At the very end:
Chris Roberts himself defends the Star Citizen, which is often criticized because of the long development time. He assures that the game is »not a castle in the air« and that it will be finished soon.
It’s been in production for nearly a decade. When is this “soon”? Two weeks in Trumptime?
Well, let’s have a look at something from their announcement:
So after ten years and $300 million, they aren’t even in beta, and there isn’t even a clear plan for what the beta product’s features will be. Combine those two things together, and you know it’s at least tenm years and $300 million further down the road. That’s an optimistic projection.
Guys it takes time to make the greatest game in the history of games. Now wouldn’t you like to spend five hundred dollars for a picture of a spaceship?
Heh. Now their Gathering of Fanbois has gone from May 2021 to “we’re not sure”.
Google translation from German:
While many developers are relying on digital trade fairs in 2020 , this does not apply to the team behind Star Citizen . The studio now contradicts statements made by the community that were hoping for a virtual replacement event for the annual CitizenCon.
Although the developer already announced in May that nothing of the kind would take place this year, he noticed the expectations of the community - also in view of the approaching eighth birthday of Star Citizen on October 10th.
He wants to dampen it now. This is to prevent players from expecting a gameplay demo or the like and ultimately being disappointed.
Correction: We originally wrote that CitizenCon will take place in May 2021. We made a mistake. It is only planned for 2021. The developer published the original announcement of this specific information in May this year.
I love that but shouldn’t it be eighth anniversary of conception? Or 24th trimester of incubation? Doesn’t it have to be released for it to be considered birthed?
Presumably you’re referring to the 2012 kickstarter, but the game started “preproduction” in 2010.
So rather than just dropping down a singular Outpost, you’ll be able to place down various structures and connect them to things like power generators, turrets, resource collectors, hydroponic domes and so on.
Turrets? Did people pay $750–$850 for a spacefaring Preston Garvey?
I love this part:
I think what people want is just that last part. More accurately, actually, I think they want a completed game.
Can’t recall if it’s been mentioned, but Elite: Dangerous not only has an entire galaxy, and explorable planets, and will soon have “walking around” features added on. Also the the first expansion will be added free to all players on October 27th.
And the game is $7.50 on Steam right now.
Sure, but how many pictures of unplayable ships do I get for that?
I’ll sell you as many as you want.