The beast is finally stirring. In the latest Star Citizen Monthly Report (June 2025), Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) confirmed that Drake Interplanetary’s Kraken has officially entered pre-production. This long-awaited capital ship – often dubbed the “pirate carrier” by fans – is now being actively prepared for the development pipeline. It’s a major milestone for Star Citizen backers who’ve been eagerly awaiting the Kraken since its concept reveal way back in 2018.
The Drake Kraken: A Colossal “Pirate” Carrier
The Kraken is Drake Interplanetary’s first foray into player-owned capital ships and represents one of the most ambitious civilian vessels planned for Star Citizen. Marketed originally as an “attack carrier,” the Kraken is essentially a multi-role light carrier designed for independent operators, militias, and yes, pirates. It gives a player or organization the ability to carry and support a small fleet of ships, acting as a mobile base of operations. With the Kraken, Drake’s philosophy of offering “power to the people” reaches a new scale – giving players their own flying fortress to command.
Some key features and known specifications of the Drake Kraken include:
- Size & Crew: A capital-class vessel roughly 270 meters long. It’s intended to be operated by a crew of around 10 (minimum), with basic crew accommodations on board.
- Landing Facilities: Six external landing pads on its deck (four for small fighters and two for medium ships), plus two internal hangars for additional ships or cargo. It even has a dedicated Dragonfly bay in the rear to deploy hoverbikes and other small vehicles.
- Cargo Capacity: Approximately 3,792 SCU of cargo space, giving it the storage to function as a transport hub or supply depot for extended operations.
- Armament & Defense: Multiple gun emplacements (5 manned turrets and 4 remote turrets) provide significant defensive firepower. However, true to Drake’s pragmatic design philosophy, the Kraken is expected to be less heavily armored than military warships of similar size (like the UEE’s Idris frigate). It packs a punch but isn’t built to soak up sustained capital-grade fire.
- Support Facilities: The Kraken can refuel, rearm, and repair ships that land on it using its own onboard supplies. In practice, this makes it a player-controlled “mini station,” enabling fleets to operate far from NPC stations.
Back in 2017, Star Citizen backers participated in a poll to choose Drake's next ship concept. The Kraken was one of the options and came in a close second place. Despite not winning that vote, CIG went ahead with the idea – unveiling the Kraken a year later, in 2018, to tremendous fan excitement.
It’s worth noting that Drake has also developed a Kraken Privateer variant, which converts the carrier into a traveling bazaar. The Privateer replaces some of the Kraken’s cargo and hangar space with shop fronts and trading stalls, effectively turning it into a mobile marketplace for commerce. This variant caters to those who want an entrepreneurial spin on the colossal carrier. However, it will likely be implemented after the base Kraken is complete and flight-ready.
Entering Pre-Production: What Does It Mean?
So, what does it actually mean that the Kraken has “entered pre-production”? Essentially, CIG has begun the early development work to move the Kraken from concept to reality. In the June 2025 monthly report, the developers explained that the team is currently reviewing the original 2018 concept and identifying what needs to be updated to meet modern standards. Over the past several years, Star Citizen’s technology and design guidelines have evolved – from ship interior metrics to new features like physicalized components and resource management. The Kraken’s design will be adjusted during pre-production to ensure it aligns with current gameplay and technical requirements.
Pre-production typically involves tasks such as:
- Concept Refinement: Refining the ship’s original concept art and layout. The team may adjust the Kraken’s interior layout or proportions based on new game mechanics (for example, ensuring there’s space for large components or that its hangars accommodate newer ships).
- Technical Planning: Determining how the Kraken will be constructed in the game engine. This includes planning out its internal structure, modular sections, damage states, and coordinating the various development teams (art, design, audio, etc.) that will work on each aspect of the ship.
- Feature Alignment: Ensuring the ship’s intended gameplay roles (carrier, resupply base, mobile HQ) will work with upcoming systems. For example, outlining how refueling and repairing docked ships will work, or how the Kraken’s elevators and docking ports will handle multi-crew operations.
Notably, the June 2025 report mentioned that full production on the Kraken is slated to begin later in the year. After that, the team will move on to actually building the Kraken in-game – starting with whitebox (basic geometry), then greybox (adding detail and functionality), and finally the full detail and polish. The Kraken has finally embarked on that journey.
A Game-Changer on the Horizon
The Kraken’s eventual debut in the Persistent Universe could significantly influence how players engage in group operations and large-scale missions. Up until now, player-owned capital ships have been very limited (the UEE’s enormous naval carriers like the Bengal are not obtainable by players). The introduction of a player-operated light carrier like the Kraken promises to shake things up:
- Force Projection: Organizations with a Kraken will be able to project force deep into space. During large-scale battles or events, a Kraken can serve as a forward base to launch and recover fighters, much like a naval carrier.
- Logistics & Support: The Kraken enables new support and logistics gameplay. Dedicated refueling, repair, or medical ships can dock with the Kraken to service other craft, all without anyone needing to return to a planet or space station. In short, groups can set up their own “service hub” wherever the Kraken parks.
- Piracy & Lawless Operations: For outlaw crews, the Kraken is the ultimate pirate flagship. It’s essentially a self-contained outlaw station that can hide in deep space as a difficult-to-dislodge base. Taking down a well-run Kraken will likely require a significant fleet or capital firepower.
- Exploration & Trade Expeditions: Explorers could use a Kraken as a mobile headquarters for ventures into uncharted systems; traders might deploy a Kraken (especially the Privateer variant) as a roving bazaar, bringing commerce to remote corners of the ‘verse.
Of course, with great power comes great responsibility (and risk). Operating a Kraken will be no small feat. Captains will need a dedicated crew to get the most out of the ship – pilots to fly the onboard craft, gunners for the turrets, engineers to maintain systems, and so on. The Kraken’s size also makes it a big target; without proper escort and vigilance, it could fall prey to torpedo bombers or enemy capital ships. Wise Kraken owners will treat it as the centerpiece of a fleet, not a lone wolf vessel.
When Will We See the Kraken in the ‘Verse?
The big question for many is: How long until we can actually fly the Kraken? The move into pre-production is exciting, but it’s important to keep expectations realistic. Developing a ship of this scale will take time. Even with production starting by late 2025, it could be well into late 2026 or 2027 before the Kraken is ready for players.
In the meantime, if you’ve pledged for a Kraken, you’ll continue to have some loaner ships to use (for example, a Polaris corvette and a Hercules hauler to cover some of its roles). This ensures that backers have something to fly in related roles while they await their actual carrier.
At last, the Kraken is officially on its way. This development milestone has energized the community, as the Kraken is poised to add a whole new dimension to Star Citizen gameplay. It’s been a long wait, but seeing the “Release the Kraken” rallying cry inch closer to reality is thrilling for those who dream of commanding this behemoth. There’s still a long road ahead, so patience is key – but the Kraken’s course is now set. One day, this mighty carrier will take its rightful place in the ‘verse.
