Cits and Civs, Captains and Commanders, you’re tuned to episode 537 of Guard Frequency — the best damn space game podcast ever! This episode was recorded on Friday, December 19 and released for streaming and download on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at GuardFrequency.com
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This Week’s Schedule
- Flight Deck
- Elite: Dangerous
- Star Citizen
- Hunternet Starfighter
- Dune Awakening
- Guard Frequency Exiles, where the crew needs a new hobby that doesn’t involve larceny or assault.
- Feedback Loop
Links & The Like
Elite: Dangerous
Elite Dangerous is saying goodbye to FDev CEO Jonny Watts, who is departing the company after 27 years, in May of 2026. The news of his departure only caused FDev’s stock to drop 6%, so that probably means it’s not terrible. He’s been working in the video game industry for almost 40 years, so it’s probably time for him to get some rest. His successor is Jo Cooke, who was hired as FDev’s Chief Marketing Officer back in August. This seems like an odd sequence of events until we tell you one more little fact: she worked at FDev from 2014 to 2017 as the Director of Marketing. Can anyone tell me what FDev was doing between 2014 and 2017? Hmmm? Anyone?
Star Citizen
Star Citizen released Early Access Pre-Alpha Release Candidate Prototype Experimental Test Build 4.5.0-LIVE.10966564 to the LIVE server. It’s officially the Dawn of Engineering, and like all dawns, it’s best not to be awake for them, look at them, or acknowledge them in any way. Wait until brunchtime to get up and maybe check out the “Noon of Engineering.” But we do have an Engineering Guide to look at, and if it ever works, it might be OK. Oh, and if they ever figure out the “Make Boom/Fix Ship” problem. But that probably isn’t going to happen anytime soon, because the guy in charge of the Engineering feature left the company back in September. And now you can also change fuses AND air filters. Sorry, it’s not that you CAN change air filters, it’s that you MUST! I’m not sure where air filter gameplay was on the stretch goal list, but I want to say it was somewhere in the 30 million range. And in shocking, breaking news, the inventory system still doesn’t work.
Hunternet Starfighter
Hunternet Starfighter needs your help. You must watch the short video that Fernando posted to our discord and you must gaze in awe and wonder at what he has done with carrier gameplay. And then you must ask yourself: “Why would I fly a starfighter when I could fly a carrier instead?” And then you must ask yourself: “Should Fernando still call the game Hunternet Starfighter when the carriers are just as, if not more, awesome than the starfighters?” These are important questions, and you should tell Fernando your answers.
Dune Awakening
Also, Dune Awakening has announced its next DLC for January 2026 and it’s only sort of vague on the interesting parts.
Community Questions
- Should HunterNet Starfighter change its name to reflect that it’s not all starfighters all the time? What should it call itself now?
- Is it OK to hype a feature that is supported by one person on staff in his free time or is it maybe something they should take out of “experimental” status first?
Patreon Backing
We love bringing you this show each week, but would also love your support? If you enjoy listening and want to contribute to us being the Best Damn Space Sim Podcast Ever, then go to our Patreon page and look at all of the rewards and loot you would be eligible to receive.
Join Us In Game!
- Click here to go to our Star Citizen Organization page and apply today!
- Check out the callsigns we use personally in each game
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