Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Star Citizen Alpha 4.0 first arrived on live servers as a “4.0 Preview” in late 2024, opening the Pyro system and introducing Server Meshing, a Stanton–Pyro jump point, contested zones and the Mirai Guardian. One important correction to the original headline: Cloud Imperium’s launch announcement describes Pyro as having six planets and six moons, not five planets.
How Alpha 4.0 launched
Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) initially made Alpha 4.0 available as a live-server “4.0 Preview.” The company’s announcement also kept Alpha 3.24.3 available as a parallel option for players who wanted to continue with missions and game loops while those systems were being refactored. The announcement said CIG’s goal was for progress earned in the Preview to persist without further wipes; that was a stated goal at launch, not a guarantee about persistence today. CIG’s Alpha 4.0: Destination Pyro announcement.
A January 2025 update said the Preview had launched at the end of the previous year and that the team was monitoring gameplay data and feedback while refining the build toward 4.0.1. That establishes a late-2024 launch, but the cited official pages do not give a precise launch day. CIG’s January 2025 update.
How many planets are in Pyro?
The Alpha 4.0 announcement lists six planets and six moons in Pyro. That is the best-supported count for the system; the “five new planets” wording in the original headline does not match the official launch announcement. The six-world count also appears in RSI’s fictional Galactic Guide to Pyro, published in 2014. RSI’s Galactic Guide: Pyro System.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- Up to 15m wireless range: Removing the boundaries of wires, the 2.4 GHz wireless signal provides a range of up to 15m
- Cross-platform connectivity: With our new USB transmitter, you can easily connect cross-platform between console and PC; separately sold console-specific USB transmitters allow for cross-console compatibility using the same headset
- 15+ hours battery life: Enjoy anxiety-free marathon gaming sessions with more than 15 hours of battery life; recharge the headset using the included USB-C to USB-A cable
- Flip-to-mute microphone: Be in charge of your full audio experience with the flip-to-mute uni-directional microphone which delivers clear and accurate communication with easy mute functionality
- EQ presets: Choose between 3 different audio presets to make sure you have the best equalizer settings for the game you’re playing
The guide gives the worlds distinct roles in the setting:
- Pyro I orbits close to the volatile star, with lightning and difficult navigation.
- Monox (Pyro II) has a carbon-monoxide-rich atmosphere and visible marks of mining.
- Bloom (Pyro III) has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and a history of settlements.
- Pyro IV is described as having a destabilized orbit around the gas giant Pyro V.
- Pyro V is a gas giant with several moons.
- Terminus (Pyro VI) is the cold outer world associated with Ruin Station.
These details are fictional setting lore, not descriptions of real astronomical bodies. The guide portrays the system as orbiting a variable type-K main-sequence star whose unpredictable solar flares make travel dangerous.
Rank #2
- WORKS IN ALL LIGHT CONDITIONS - Our eye and head tracking technology makes your favorite games more immersive whether you are in a pitch black room or in bright daylight.
- HEAD AND EYE TRACKING IN ONE DEVICE - Tobii Eye Tracker 5 tracks both head and eye movements for more immersive PC gaming experiences. Compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11
- 170+ ENHANCED GAMES - Celebrated by players for bringing game changing features to Star Citizen, Microsoft Flight Simulator, War Thunder, Euro Truck Simulator, and 170+ other game titles.
- NO WEARABLES NEEDED - Say goodbye to devices that require you to wear trackers on a hat and enjoy the freedom in game and outside of it.
- WINDOWS HELLO - Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is compatible with Windows Hello and uses biometric data to make your device safer.
What Alpha 4.0 added
Pyro, a lawless frontier system
Pyro is Star Citizen’s second star system. Alongside its planets and moons, the launch announcement describes stations, asteroid bases and other points of interest. The Galactic Guide supplies the backstory: Pyrotechnic Amalgamated mined the system and eventually abandoned it, after which gangs and outlaws took over stations and infrastructure. The result is a setting defined by volatile conditions, scattered remnants of industry and competing groups rather than a secure, orderly frontier.
Server Meshing
Server Meshing was one of Alpha 4.0’s major technical additions. CIG said the technology enabled up to 500 players to share the universe, and described it as a way to improve persistence and performance in busy locations while supporting future expansion. That number and those benefits are the developer’s stated capability and aims; the launch announcement does not provide an independently measured outcome. CIG’s Alpha 4.0 announcement.
Rank #3
- Enhanced sound quality: ASTRO Gaming A10 Gen 2 Headset for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac features custom-tuned 32mm dynamic drivers so you can always hear your game and teammates with clarity and precision
- Flip-to-mute mic: Integrated boom microphone that can be flipped up to mute for privacy and down for crystal-clear comms via a 6.0 mm unidirectional mic
- In-line volume control: This PlayStation headset features a removable headphone cable with in-line volume control, letting you adjust audio without pausing the game
- Built to last: An ultra durable headband and sturdy construction offers reliable performance that transcends the standard gaming headset for PlayStation PS5/PS4
- Comfortable over-ear headset: Ergonomical and robust circumaural construction with a closed back design; optimal for long sessions
The Stanton–Pyro jump point
Jump points are natural tunnels that connect star systems. Alpha 4.0 introduced the Stanton–Pyro connection, giving players a route between the two systems. CIG’s announcement describes inter-system travel as a sequence that requires preparation, making the jump point more than a simple instant transition.
Faction stations and contested zones
Pyro’s stations are controlled by factions, and contested zones give crews a place to fight over rewards and exclusive loot. This fits the system’s outlaw-frontier setting: players encounter both the environment’s hazards and rival groups competing for control or spoils.
Rank #4
- 【MULTI-PLATFORM GAMING HEADSET】Mpower is a multi-platform gaming headset, which can connect to PS4 / XBOX ONE ( 2015 Version ) / Laptop / VR/ Mobile Devices via the 3.5mm audio+mic combined jack. The conversion cable with dual 3.5mm audio and mic jacks is for connecting to PC.
- 【EXCELLENT STEREO AUDIO】Mpower is equipped with 50mm speakers and makes the stereo sound powerful. The retractable and flexible microphone picks up your voice clearly and the big leather earmuffs provide an extreme noise-cancellation function.
- 【SUPERIOR USING EXPERIENCES ON MOBILES AND CONSOLES】Convenient in-line control is easy to adjust while gaming. The compatible L-shape jack at the end of cable makes it easy to put the hands in the right position with comfortable posture while playing mobile games.
- 【COMFORTABLE TO WEAR】The ear muffs are padded with skin-friendly leather, which feels extremely soft.This comfortable earmuffs and headband are breathable and skin-friendly to wear for a long while.
- 【Perfect After-sales Service】 Please kindly know that all the products would be checked or tested before shipping out to ensure a good shopping experience. We promised to bring the best quality gaming headset to our customers. We offer 18 months after-sale service to our customer.
Exploration sites and the Mirai Guardian
The update also highlighted abandoned asteroid bases as places to explore. The launch announcement mentioned possible executive hangars as a rumor, not as a confirmed feature, so they should not be treated as a guaranteed discovery.
Alpha 4.0 introduced the Mirai Guardian heavy-fighter series, including a base model and a QI missile variant. CIG described the ships as using Xi’an-inspired thruster technology and emphasized long range and suitability for Pyro. These are in-game ships, not physical products.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Best Value
- RAZER SMARTSWITCH DUAL WIRELESS — The headset can instantly switch between high-speed 2.4GHz or Bluetooth mode for seamless audio as you hop between using your PC/console and phone respectively
- INTEGRATED BEAMFORMING NOISE-CANCELING MIC — The dual hidden microphones feature powerful levels of noise suppression ensuring you’re clearly heard in loud indoor and outdoor areas
- RAZER TRIFORCE 40MM DRIVERS — Patented 3-part driver design pushes out exceptional highs, mids, and lows that don’t muddy audio quality, providing deeper gaming immersion and a more dynamic listening experience for music and videos
- ULTRA-SOFT FLOWKNIT MEMORY FOAM EAR CUSHIONS — The breathable weave surface minimizes heat build-up, while the ultra-soft memory foam provides plush, comfortable cushioning for all-day use
- 40-HOUR BATTERY LIFE WITH USB-C CHARGING — Designed with enough juice to power you through more than a full day of gaming and work
What Pyro’s lore says about the system
RSI’s Galactic Guide presents Pyro as a place where people have learned to endure harsh conditions after corporate abandonment. One in-universe passage credits the inhabitants’ survival to humanity’s adaptability. It is attributed to Conrad Hesler, author of Struggling to Survive: The Human Story, and dated 2812.05.11 within the fictional setting.
The guide also includes a contrasting political voice. Madge Hartford, in fictional minutes from a Citizens for Pyro meeting dated 2952.03.13, argues that Pyro’s potential should be reclaimed for a safer future. These lines are part of Star Citizen’s lore, not statements from real-world CIG staff. Read the official Galactic Guide.
What changed after the Preview
The January 2025 update described ongoing monitoring and refinement toward Alpha 4.0.1. A later official patch page, Alpha 4.10.1, shows that Star Citizen continued to receive updates and fixes affecting Pyro content; it is not a statement that the original Preview build or its launch conditions remain current. CIG’s Alpha 4.10.1 patch notes.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
