Waiting for Godot and Star Citizen
To await a video game, is itself the pleasure of video gaming? If not, Star Citizen wouldn’t exist. #theater #videogame
Welcome back to Artcade, where video games and art perform on the same stage. As you might have guessed, today we’re starting with theater and making our way to a mythological figure (in the sense that it might only exist in our imagination) from the digital world.
Something that’s far from imaginary is your support. You already know you can help this project in many different ways: sharing Artcade with other video game enthusiasts is one good way, and subscribing (free or paid, it’s your choice) is another important step. Thanks to everyone who has already followed one or more of these suggestions. And now... enjoy the read!
If you think that writing a story about two people who do nothing but waiting for someone is impossible, your name isn’t Samuel Beckett. He was able to write it and make it so compelling that it earned him enough fame to live off his writing (a dream for many of us).
Beckett is a Nobel Prize winner in literature, you might say. True. And the two protagonists, Vladimir and Estragon, are a wonderful symbol of the expectations and confusion we feel about the future.
ESTRAGON:
He should be here.
VLADIMIR:
He didn't say for sure he'd come.
ESTRAGON:
And if he doesn't come?
VLADIMIR:
We'll come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON:
And then the day after tomorrow.
VLADIMIR:
Possibly.
ESTRAGON:
And so on.
VLADIMIR:
The point is—
ESTRAGON:
Until he comes.
VLADIMIR:
You're merciless.
ESTRAGON:
We came here yesterday.
VLADIMIR:
Ah no, there you're mistaken.
ESTRAGON:
What did we do yesterday?
VLADIMIR:
What did we do yesterday?
ESTRAGON:
Yes.
VLADIMIR:
Why . . . (Angrily.) Nothing is certain when you're about.
ESTRAGON:
In my opinion we were here.
VLADIMIR:
(looking round). You recognize the place?
ESTRAGON:
I didn't say that.
VLADIMIR:
Well?
ESTRAGON:
That makes no difference.
VLADIMIR:
All the same… that tree… (turning towards auditorium) that bog…
ESTRAGON:
You're sure it was this evening?
VLADIMIR:
What?
ESTRAGON:
That we were to wait.
VLADIMIR:
He said Saturday. (Pause.) I think.
Samuel Beckett (1953) Waiting for Godot [En attendant Godot] [Theatrical play] [Theater of the Absurd] Théâtre de Babylone, Paris
Cloud Imperium Games (???) Star Citizen (Alpha) [Video game] [MMO] [???] [???] Cloud Imperium Games
Star Citizen went into pre-production in 2010. Two years later, it raised $2 million on Kickstarter, and since 2015, some game modules have been released, allowing players to try out small, limited parts of what is supposed to become a persistent universe simulator (the game’s official tagline is: “Join the Universe”). Since then, crowdfunding has continued through the sale of spaceships, customizations, and other content, bringing the total amount raised to over $700 million. Its development has already lasted fourteen years.
(To give you an idea of the costs in the video game industry, the development of God of War: Ragnarok, a major Sony production and global blockbuster, is said to have cost a total of $200 million).
Star Citizen can be partially tested (for a fee), but the game is still in alpha and remains elusive, almost ghostly. The release date for a final version of Star Citizen is currently unknown.
[Update: It looks like a short single player experience should be playable in 2026…]
Information Desk:
The question everyone asks when hearing the story of Star Citizen is: “Star Citizen - The Greatest Scam in Video Game History, or the Greatest Game in Video Game History?” which is the title of the video you can watch below:
In 1961, just eight years after the first French performance, a beautiful English production of Waiting for Godot was recorded for television and aired on the show “Play of the Week.” Here it is:
My last two coins
Waiting is beautiful. There’s no other way to put it. When we are waiting for something, we can let our imagination run free and forget all the snags and friction that reality constantly throws at us. In fact, we can imagine perfect scenarios of absolute happiness: the perfect love, the perfect job, the perfect game. Think of that the next time you’re standing in line to get into a club or a restaurant or to vote. That is the happiest moment. For this reason, I’ll say goodbye and leave you waiting for the next episode. Ciao!