StarCitizen:Cloud Imperium Games Ltd.
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Template:InfoboxNeue Cloud Imperium Games Ltd, also informally called Cloud Imperium Games UK, or CIG UK, is an independent [[StarCitizen::Category:Video game development companies|video game development company]] and a subsidiary of StarCitizen:Cloud Imperium UK Ltd. It works on the development of Squadron 42 and Star Citizen in the UK, while also working on the game engine, the facial pipeline and the cinematic experience in Squadron 42 amongst other things.
History
Foundry 42
What later became the current Cloud Imperium Games Ltd was initially founded on 2013-09-24 as Foundry 42 due to focusing on the development of Squadron 42 and because Cloud Imperium Games UK Limited already existed at the time, having been created a few days earlier.<ref>Around the Verse: Episode 2.24</ref>
Cloud Imperium Games Ltd rebranding
Foundry 42 later rebranded to 'Cloud Imperium Games Ltd.' on 2019-03-06 for better brand unification.<ref name=":0">Foundry 42 Ltd Rebrands to Cloud Imperium Games Ltd</ref><ref name="CIG-LTD">Cloud Imperium Games Limited - Companies House UK</ref>
Studios
It opened its first office in Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK around January 2014. Additional studios were opened in Frankfurt, Germany in July 2015 and Derby, UK in March 2017.<ref>Around the Verse: Episode 2.05. YouTube, 29 Oct 2015</ref><ref>Inside CIG: Foundry 42 Germany, YouTube, 10 Apr 2015</ref><ref>ATV Interview: Brian Chambers, YouTube, 3 May 2016</ref>
Wilmslow
Frankfurt office
Cloud Imperium Games Frankfurt is its branch office, not a separate company.<ref>"Cloud Imperium Games Limited - Frankfurt Office [...]. Registered in England and Wales, Companies House registration 8703814.", Legal, cloudimperiumgames.com, retrieved September 2026</ref>
Derby office
Formerly known as Foundry 42, Ltd. An official satellite studio of Foundry 42 Manchester, the Derby office is a small team looking after all aspects of the facial pipeline. From taking delivery of the Face Rigs from StarCitizen:3Lateral, implementing them in-game, taking all the face animation from StarCitizen:Cubic Motion and also creating all the Facial animation for the PU that Cubic aren't doing.<ref>Development comments on Foundry 42 Derby</ref>
On 2018-02-16, F42 Derby had a total of 15 staff working on Star Citizen.<ref name="ds1" />
Manchester HQ
In 2022 Cloud Imperium Games opened a new lead studio in Manchester, moving from the offices in Wilmslow. The new office can accommodate up to 1000 employees.<ref>[1]. CIG, 2024-01-01 </ref> In early 2024, a relocation of staff to the Manchester studio took place.<ref>Some Star Citizen devs reportedly laid off as Cloud Imperium restructures, videogameschronicle.com, 28th Feb 2024</ref> The building is shared by companies such as Booking.com.<ref>Booking.com moves into £80m Manchester office, uktech.news, Fri 16 Dec 2022</ref>
CIG UK numbered 693 employees as of December 2024,<ref name=":1">Cloud Imperium Games Limited, Annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024, UK companies house, 20 Aug 2025</ref> more than half the total number, with a further unknown number being relocated to it in early 2025 from abroad.
It has solar panels to supplement electricity.<ref name=":2" />
Financials
| Financials | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £84.0m<ref name=":2" /> | £77.0m<ref name=":2" /> |
| Development costs | £83.3m<ref name=":2" /> | £80.0m<ref name=":2" /> |
| Net assets | £53.9m<ref name=":2" /> | £41.4m<ref name=":2" /> |
Employee count
| Employee count | 2025 | 2024 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby studio | 15<ref name="ds1" /> | ||
| Wilmslow studio | |||
| Frankfurt studio | |||
| Manchester studio | |||
| Total | 688<ref name=":2">Cloud Imperium Games Limited annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, Companies House</ref> | 693<ref name=":1" /> |
External links
See also
Trivia
- CIG has won the Massively OP’s Best of 2015 Awards: StarCitizen:MMO Studio of the Year.<ref>Massively OP’s Best of 2015 Awards: MMO Studio of the Year, massivelyop.com, December 10, 2015 </ref>
- Several items in the game StarCitizen:Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues are named after Cloud Imperium due to a cross promotion.
References
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