Mass Effect gamers can explore a massive open-world space sim for free with over 200 ships

We may not be getting a new Mass Effect game anytime soon (if at all), but fans of BioWare's legendary sci-fi RPG series can explore another vast galaxy for free, with over 200 ships and vehicles available to try in Star Citizen.

With the next Mass Effect game cancelled and BioWare closed, that news still sucks. However, Cloud Imperium Games' ambitious multiplayer space sim offers plenty of intergalactic exploration, despite still being in development 14 years after its 2012 announcement.

Running from 13 to 27 November 2026, the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2956 lets new and returning Star Citizen players explore its massive universe and try hundreds of spacecraft and vehicles without spending a penny.

How to play Star Citizen for free

Players can register for the Free Fly event via the official Star Citizen website on PC. Sadly, the game isn't available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S or Nintendo Switch 2. No purchase is required to take part, but you will, of course, need to download the game.

Once the Free Fly event ends, you'll need to purchase a starter game package to continue playing Star Citizen. Your progress should carry over, although it's worth remembering that the game remains in alpha, so future updates may reset some progress.

Star Citizen, Roberts Space Industries

Star Citizen lets you try over 200 ships and vehicles for free

The Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2956 takes place in New Babbage, a futuristic city on the planet microTech, where players can check out more than 200 ships and ground vehicles from different manufacturers.

Better still, players can rent these vehicles for free using kiosks at the expo, giving them the chance to get behind the controls without spending a penny. The selection also changes throughout the event, so there's plenty of reason to keep coming back.

What's more, several new ships will make their debut throughout the event, giving Star Citizen players even more spacecraft to get their hands on. Here's when they'll arrive:

• November 13: RSI Galaxy and RSI Skylark
• November 15: Anvil Liberator
• November 17: Drake Marauder
• November 21: Gatac Hyun

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Free Star Citizen rewards are also up for grabs

As if getting to explore a massive universe for free wasn't enough, Star Citizen players can also claim some extra goodies simply by watching eligible Twitch streams. All you need to do is link your Star Citizen and Twitch accounts, then watch for the following rewards:

• Watch for 2 hours: Venture Undersuit Black/Grey
• Watch for 4 hours: Venture Black Armour Set
• Watch for 6 hours: MacFlex Backpack Orange

The event will also celebrate the community-voted Ship Showdown finalists, with exclusive Best in Show ship paints and commemorative challenge coins awarded to the final four ships.

So, if you're still grieving over the future of Mass Effect and need an intergalactic sci-fi fix that won't cost you a penny (other than having a capable PC, of course), then you might want to check out Star Citizen's free event before it ends on November 27 2026.