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Star Citizen is a game that features some of the most in-depth lore we've ever seen in an open-world Sci-Fi shooter. Although some of it isn't yet available in the game, we may see it added in the future with the addition of new star systems and planets. The four races currently alive in and thriving in the galaxy are; Xian, Vanduul, Banu, and the Humans.
Currently, there are no other species in Star Citizen aside from humans; however, with the release of Squadron 42 right around the corner that may be changing. The main enemy in the upcoming title will be the Vanduul, as they are ruthless killers known for disturbing the peace among the UEE. This guide will showcase each race as well as their morals and political systems that have been established in the game's lore.
Humans
Humans in Star Citizen originate from Earth, in the system of Sol but are also extremely prominent in the Stanton system. Many other Sci-Fi franchises utilize entirely other systems as an origin from the human race. However, Star Citizen uses our own timeline as a basis for its fictional universe.
The UEE is the largest government that covers the human species, this is made up of civilians and citizens. Civilians are members of the public that vote on the political factions, and the citizens are a slightly higher class that has more say in the government's control. To become a citizen, civilians must contribute to and benefit the UEE, most notably by joining the military.
The UEE is the republic headed by the democratically stated imperator who is limited to a 10-year term. The rest of the council is made up of senators inside the UEE.
The main factions here are centralist, Universalist, and Traditionalist. These cover the political spectrum with Centralists on the right, Traditionalists in the middle, and Universalists on the left. This in-depth political system dictates how humans navigate the galaxy and may have an effect on gameplay in the future.
Xian
The Xian empire is the only specie seen to be on par or more advanced than the human race. Their government is made up of noble houses, and order is kept through mandatory military service, breading loyalty to the empire over their own family.
From an economic standpoint, everything is run through the empire, and they have a say in every transaction. Although they won't have input on every business interaction, they do have the control to halt any transaction.
Each of their planets is dedicated to a specific industry, for example, military, agriculture, or technology. Unlike humans, they are not at the top of the food chain on their home planet, creating a hardwired need for survival.
The Xian are incredibly secretive people. They will take the quiet route over the all-out war to give them an advantage and not give away their strengths and plans.
They are known to take in anti-government humans and help them infiltrate the UEE to gain the upper hand. This has given them a reputation for being tricksters and master manipulators among the human species.
Banu
The Banu are the most open species to the human race as they have seen a lot of conflict between the species.
They have a heavy on improving their species through technology and don't believe in preserving records of their history as they see no value in looking back at previous tech for the benefit of their future. This means they also place a lot of value on tech and unique weapons from other species that they may be unable to craft.
This is why it is currently unknown where the Banu originates from, and the location of their home world has been lost due to the lack of records. Their ideals surround individuality and skill and care far more about the performance of an individual or craft rather than the outcome of the conflict.
The Souli construct is at the heart of Banu culture. This acts as a combination of family and trade organizations that cooperate for future benefit. These groups work together to be efficient and harmonious in their endeavors. These groups may be directed toward government, technology, or athletic performance.
The Essosouli is the head of the group, and they direct the specific Souli to be the best versions of themselves. Although each group may not follow the laws of the larger Banu cooperation, it is usually not beneficial as the streamlined nature of the Souli groups creates a network of enhanced individuals that can benefit from each other's gain.
They have adopted the label of the "trade species" with notable ships arriving in the game soon, such as the Banu Merchantmen, a large cargo capital ship.
Unfortunately, they do have a dark side to their nature. They are one of the few species that promote slavery among their own. However, they are seen as contracted laborers rather than property. This has caused humans to have an unstable relationship with the Banu, with some eras constituting peace and cooperation and others with plenty of conflicts.
Vanduul
The Vanduul are considered the villains or antagonists in Star Citizen. Only the Banu have had some success dealing with the Vanduul, but little is still known about their background. They value military combat and are experienced space travelers that are ruthless throughout the galaxy.
The higher the rank of the Vanduul, the better their status among the species. The center of their tribe is built upon a kingship. Unfortunately, not much is known about their political system, but there will be more to come with the development of Star Citizen and the release of Squadron 42.
The Vanduul harvests worlds and uses the materials to build ships and other craft to become efficient in space combat, as well as create food and sustenance.
Currently, there is no political goal for the Vanduul, and have been known to attack other species without warning. As mentioned before, the Banu do have some trade relations with clans within the Vanduul, but this is definitely a minority due to their ruthless nature.
Humanity has been in a struggle against the Vanduul and has only begun to push back against their offense in recent years.
Tevarin (Former)
The Tevarin is a race that isn't present in Star Citizen due to their destruction in 2610 at the hands of the United Planets of Earth (UPE). However, the Talon is a Tevarin fighter ship that can be used by players.
These bird-like humanoids were beginning to extend their reach into the universe before being annihilated. Their technology was no match for the Humans, and the remaining members of the species were absorbed into the UPE.
Squadron 42 famously defeated the Tevarin at the Battle of Centauri. This may feature in the upcoming game but is set a few hundred years before the events of the Squadron 42 game.
A short flashback or brief history of the squadron would highlight the defeat of the Tevarin and would be an awesome feature for the now-lost species.
We hope to see more additions to the lore and species with the release of alpha 3.18.
Star Citizen is available on PC.