Star Citizen Foundation Festival: Start date, Guide System & Free Fly event
With the Star Citizen Foundation Festival here, you'll want to know how long it runs for, along with information on the new Guide System and the Free Fly event.
The Star Citizen Foundation Festival is returning in 2023 with a bunch of new features, so check out the start date below, along with information on the Guide System and Free Fly event.
Star Citizen has been a topic of interest for over ten years now, with it being one of the original Kickstarter games. All these years later and the game is still in development for PC, and has one of the highest budgets in gaming history.
Whether you're one of the people who's stuck with the game since the first alpha launch, or a newbie looking to dive into the expansive universe it offers, we've got you covered with our breakdown of Star Citizen Foundation Festival.
Star Citizen Foundation Festival start date
The Star Citizen Foundation Festival is set to begin on July 6 at 5 pm BST (9 am PST/12 pm EST/6 pm CEST), and will run until July 31 at 9 pm BST (1 pm PST/4 pm EST/10 pm CEST).
Star Citizen Foundation Festival Guide System
A new feature of the Star Citizen Foundation Festival is the Guide System. This allows brand-new players, called Recruits, to pair up with Guides (essentially player ambassadors who are experienced with the game) to learn various aspects of the game that covers 12 proficiencies.
These core proficiencies are:
- Basics
- Vehicle Combat
- FPS Combat
- Racing
- Mining
- Salvage
- Trading
- Refueling
- Medical
- Missions
- Touring
- Misc
Foundation Festival Guide System rewards
Both Guides and Recruits can also earn rewards throughout the Foundation Festival, manifesting in a few ways.
Firstly, both players can earn weekly rewards by taking part in successful guide sessions for at least 30 minutes, and receiving an endorsement at the end. We'll list these below.
Guides rewards:
- One successful guide session - Black Foundation Festival in-game beanie
- Two successful guide sessions - Turquoise Foundation Festival in-game beanie
- Three successful guide sessions - Foundation Festival in-game cap
Recruits rewards:
- One successful guide session - Gemini LH86 pistol
- Two successful guide sessions - P4-AR rifle
- Three successful guide sessions - Multi-tool set (pyro PYT with Orebit Mining Attachment, Cambio-Lite SRT Attachment, Cambio-Lite SRT Attachment can, TruHold Tractor Beam Attachment)
In addition to the above awards, both Guides and Recruits can earn Foundation Festival-themed paints by completing single guide sessions for each proficiency. The table shows the categories and the paint you'll receive.
| Proficiency | Rewards |
| Basics | Drake Cutlass Black |
| Vehicle Combat | Aegis Gladius |
| FPS Combat | Anvil Valkyrie |
| Mining | MISC Prospector |
| Missions | MISC Freelancer |
| Trading | Drake Caterpillar |
| Touring | Origin 600i touring |
| Misc | Crusader Mercury Star Runner |
| Refueling | MISC Starfarer |
| Medical | Drake Cutlass Red |
| Salvage | Drake Vulture |
| Racing | MISC Razor |
In addition - AGAIN - Guides and Recruits can gain more rewards every weekend that the Foundation Festival takes place. Both players will receive a unique armour and weapon set for completing three sessions every weekend.
- Weekend 1 (5 pm BST July 7 to 5 pm July 10) - Lodestone armour and sniper rifle kit
- Weekend 2 (5 pm BST July 14 to 5 pm July 17) - Archangel armour and sniper rifle kit
- Weekend 3 (5 pm BST July 21 to 5 pm July 14) - Canuto armour and sniper rifle kit
- Weekend 4 (5 pm BST July 28 to 5 pm July 31) - Rime armour and sniper rifle kit
Finally, if you complete at least one successful session during each of the above weekends, you will receive the Wildwood armour and sniper rifle kit.
Star Citizen Foundation Festival Free Fly event
Another big aspect of the Star Citizen Foundation Festival is the Free Fly event, running from July 6 at 5 pm BST (9 am PST/12 pm EST/6 pm CEST), and will run until July 17 at 9 pm BST (1 pm PST/4 pm EST/10 pm CEST).
The Free Fly event will make the game free to play for a period and grant all players free access to 12 ships, a newly improved player experience in Area18, discounts on starter packs, updated referral rewards, and more.
That's our full explanation of the Star Citizen Foundation Festival, and now you know everything about when it will occur, along with information on the new Guide System and Free Fly event.
About The Author
Tarran Stockton
Tarran is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon. He previously wrote reviews for his college newspaper before studying Media and Communication at university. His favourite genres include role-playing games, strategy games, and boomer shooters - along with anything indie. You can also find him in the pit at local hardcore shows.
