“The team is heads down,” Huckaby said. “We drew a line in the sand when we said 2026. I don’t know if we’re going to make it, I just know that we’re going to do every single thing possible to make it. And part of that is not taking time for the distraction of CitizenCon.”

Huckaby himself quickly jumped into the thread to clarify that he was not hinting at another Squadron 42 delay.

“I said that I personally cannot tell you what the future holds, because quite honestly, that’s the responsible answer for me to give with the way that videogames are made. Not our videogames, ALL videogames,” he wrote. "So no, I don’t KNOW the future, and I said as much is all.

“And please don’t mistake my pragmatism for any commentary on the status of the game. I just try very, very hard to speak as deliberately and plainly as I can without embellishment or hyperbole. I meant what I said in the most literal manner possible: that I can’t sit here and tell you what the future holds, because in the entire history of video game development, who’s ever been able to? That’s all. If I didn’t believe in this team and the people within, I wouldn’t still be here.”

The plausible deniability for next year’s delay. Why would you bring your $800 million grift to an end now when there’s plenty of money left to be made. Release a few new ships for purchase and all will be forgotten.