Choosing your first city in Star Citizen matters more than the character-creation screen makes it seem.

In Alpha 4.10.2, RSI's current beginner documentation uses four major Stanton starting locations: New Babbage, Area18, Lorville, and Orison. Other systems or locations may be available under some circumstances, but RSI focuses its Getting Started guide on Stanton because some alternatives may be less suitable for brand-new players learning the game.

For most completely new players, New Babbage is our best overall starting-location recommendation. That is an editorial recommendation for this guide, not an official RSI ranking.

Area18 is a strong alternative if you specifically want to begin on ArcCorp. Lorville makes sense if Hurston or practical ground-vehicle access matters to you. Orison is a valid choice for players who specifically want to begin around Crusader.

There is no official RSI list ranking these four cities from best to worst.

This guide compares them from a beginner's perspective so you can choose the location that best fits your first few sessions.

Quick Answer: What Is the Best Starting Location in Star Citizen?

For a first-time player with no special fleet or location requirement, our recommendation is:

New Babbage

If you already know what matters to you, however, the answer may change:

Starting Location	Best For	Main Reason
New Babbage	Most new players	Strong general-purpose starting choice
Area18	Players who want ArcCorp	Starts you directly in the ArcCorp environment
Lorville	Hurston or ground-vehicle priorities	One of RSI's documented good choices for practical ground-vehicle access
Orison	Players who want Crusader	Starts you directly in the Crusader environment

RSI separately identifies New Babbage and Lorville as good initial choices when practical access to owned ground vehicles matters. All Personal Hangars can spawn ground vehicles, but not every location provides a suitable ground-level garage exit for actually driving them out.

The recommendations in the table are editorial judgments. RSI itself does not officially rank one of the four Stanton cities as universally best.

Does Your Starting Location Really Matter?

Yes, but not because you are permanently locked there.

Your Primary Residence controls your initial setup. It determines where your starting items, equipment, ships, vehicles, and related possessions are initially based.

This matters more if you already own several ships, vehicles, or a large amount of equipment. If you later decide to establish yourself somewhere else, RSI warns that your possessions do not simply relocate automatically—you may need to move items, ships, vehicles, and other goods yourself.

At the same time, the initial residence is not a permanent location lock.

Your later waking location can change as you move through the game, and your medical regeneration location can also be changed through supported medical facilities.

The practical distinction is:

• Primary Residence determines your initial setup and asset location.
• Where you later wake can change as you travel.
• Your medical regeneration location can also be changed.

Because RSI documentation sometimes uses overlapping location and spawn terminology, it is more useful for a beginner to understand those practical differences than to treat every use of “spawn” as the same system.

The question you should ask during character setup is therefore not:

“Where will I live forever?”

It is:

“Which location makes the most sense for the way I want to begin?”

If you are still figuring out how this decision fits into your first session, the broader Star Citizen Beginner Guide explains the complete beginner progression.

The Four Stanton Starting Locations

RSI's current Getting Started documentation uses these four major Stanton cities for new players:

• New Babbage on microTech
• Area18 on ArcCorp
• Lorville on Hurston
• Orison on Crusader

RSI also notes that players may be able to begin in other systems or locations. Its beginner documentation focuses on Stanton because alternatives with less forgiving conditions may not be ideal for someone who is still learning how Star Citizen works.

For that reason, this guide compares the four Stanton locations most relevant to a conventional beginner start.

New Babbage: Best Overall Starting Location for Most Beginners

Recommended for: First-time players, general-purpose starts, players who also care about ground-vehicle access

New Babbage is the major landing zone on microTech.

For a player with no strong preference or specialized requirement, it is our best overall choice.

That recommendation is based on its usefulness as a general starting point, not because RSI officially ranks New Babbage above Area18, Lorville, or Orison.

It also has a documented ground-vehicle advantage, but it is important to describe that correctly: New Babbage and Lorville are both identified by RSI as good starting choices when practical ground-vehicle access matters.

Your First Route Through New Babbage

RSI's official beginner route begins at The Nest habitation area.

From there, leave the hab building and follow the signs toward the MT Metroloop. Take the Spaceport line and continue to New Babbage Interstellar Spaceport, where you can reach the vehicle retrieval consoles and hangars.

For a new player, the useful version of that route is:

The Nest → MT Metroloop → Interstellar Spaceport

You do not need to memorize the entire city before your first flight.

Why Choose New Babbage?

New Babbage works well if:

• this is your first time playing;
• you do not yet know which career you want to pursue;
• you want a general-purpose starting city;
• practical ground-vehicle access matters;
• you do not have a stronger preference for ArcCorp, Hurston, or Crusader.

Its ground-vehicle usefulness comes from more than simply being able to spawn a vehicle. RSI explains that while all Personal Hangars can spawn ground vehicles, only certain locations provide ground-level exits that let you actually drive those vehicles out conveniently. New Babbage and Lorville are the two current documented choices RSI recommends when players are unsure.

Area18: Best If You Specifically Want ArcCorp

Recommended for: Players who want to begin on ArcCorp

Area18 is the major landing zone on ArcCorp.

Your official beginner route begins at the Adira Falls habs. From there, RSI directs you toward ArcCorp Plaza, then through the city's transportation system toward Riker Memorial Spaceport, where you can retrieve your ship.

The practical route is:

Adira Falls → ArcCorp Plaza / CityFlight → Riker Memorial Spaceport

Why Choose Area18?

Area18 is a sensible choice if ArcCorp is where you genuinely want your first sessions to begin.

That is a perfectly valid reason.

A player with no major fleet requirement does not need to optimize every part of the Primary Residence decision. Your initial location affects where your assets begin, but it does not prevent you from leaving ArcCorp and playing elsewhere in Stanton.

Area18 or New Babbage?

If you have no preference at all, this guide gives New Babbage the overall recommendation.

If you already know that you want to begin on ArcCorp, however, there is little reason to ignore that preference simply because another city appears first in a beginner ranking.

For players without special fleet requirements, personal location preference remains a reasonable deciding factor.

Who Should Choose Area18?

Choose Area18 if:

• you specifically want to begin on ArcCorp;
• you expect to spend your early sessions around ArcCorp;
• practical ground-vehicle access from your initial Personal Hangar is not a major requirement;
• the ArcCorp location appeals to you more than the alternatives.

Lorville: A Strong Choice for Hurston and Ground Vehicles

Recommended for: Players who want Hurston or practical ground-vehicle access

Lorville is the major landing zone on Hurston.

The official beginner route begins at L-19.

From there, follow the route toward Metro Center, use the Spaceport Line, and continue to Teasa Spaceport, where you can retrieve your ship.

The useful beginner route is:

L-19 → Metro Center / Spaceport Line → Teasa Spaceport

Why Ground Vehicles Matter Here

Lorville shares one important advantage with New Babbage.

RSI's current ground-vehicle guidance specifically names New Babbage and Lorville as good initial choices when players need practical access to ground vehicles.

The distinction is important.

All Personal Hangars can spawn ground vehicles, but that does not mean every Personal Hangar provides an equally useful way to take one outside. Some locations lack the required ground-level garage access.

So if a rover or other ground vehicle is an important part of the fleet you already own, both Lorville and New Babbage deserve consideration before you confirm your Primary Residence.

New Babbage or Lorville for Ground Vehicles?

Both are documented by RSI as good choices.

The decision can therefore come down to whether you prefer beginning around microTech or Hurston, along with any other fleet or gameplay plans you already have.

Who Should Choose Lorville?

Choose Lorville if:

• you specifically want to begin on Hurston;
• you own ground vehicles and practical access matters;
• Hurston fits your early gameplay plans;
• you prefer it to New Babbage as your initial base.

Orison: Best If You Specifically Want Crusader

Recommended for: Players who want to begin around Crusader

Orison is the major landing zone in the atmosphere of Crusader.

Your official beginner route begins at the Green Circle hab complex in Cloudview Center.

From there, follow the city's transit route toward August Dunlow Spaceport, where the ASOP terminals and hangars provide access to your ship.

The practical route is:

Green Circle / Cloudview Center → transit → August Dunlow Spaceport

Why Choose Orison?

The best reason is straightforward:

You specifically want to begin around Crusader.

There is no requirement that every new player select whichever city receives the highest general-purpose recommendation.

If you have no unusual fleet requirements and Orison is the location you actually want to experience first, location preference is a valid reason to choose it.

What About Ground Vehicles?

If practical ground-vehicle access from your starting hangar is a priority, current RSI guidance favors New Babbage or Lorville instead.

That does not mean an Orison Personal Hangar cannot spawn a ground vehicle. RSI says all Personal Hangars can spawn them.

The limitation is that not every location provides the ground-level exit required to drive the vehicle directly into the surrounding environment.

Who Should Choose Orison?

Choose Orison if:

• you specifically want to begin around Crusader;
• the Crusader location is more important to you than ground-vehicle access;
• you do not have a fleet requirement that makes New Babbage or Lorville more practical.

New Babbage vs Area18 vs Lorville vs Orison

For a beginner, the comparison looks like this:

Factor	New Babbage	Area18	Lorville	Orison
Our beginner recommendation	Best overall	Good if you want ArcCorp	Good for Hurston / ground vehicles	Good if you want Crusader
Planet / Location	microTech	ArcCorp	Hurston	Crusader
Starting hab	The Nest	Adira Falls	L-19	Green Circle / Cloudview Center
Spaceport	New Babbage Interstellar Spaceport	Riker Memorial Spaceport	Teasa Spaceport	August Dunlow Spaceport
RSI-documented practical ground-vehicle choice	Yes	No	Yes	No
Main reason to choose it	General-purpose start	ArcCorp preference	Hurston or ground vehicles	Crusader preference

The recommendation row is editorial, not an RSI ranking.

The city locations and routes come from RSI's current beginner documentation, while the ground-vehicle distinction comes from RSI's dedicated guidance on initial spawn points and Personal Hangars.

Which Starting Location Should You Choose?

If you already know which planet or environment you want to begin around, that preference can make the decision for you.

Choose Area18 if you want ArcCorp.

Choose Lorville if you want Hurston or practical ground-vehicle access is an important part of your initial setup.

Choose Orison if Crusader is where you genuinely want to begin.

If none of those preferences applies, New Babbage remains our overall beginner recommendation.

That is the site's recommendation—not an official RSI ranking.

Can You Change Your Starting Location Later?

Your initial Primary Residence matters, but it does not permanently trap you there.

The important limitation is asset movement.

RSI warns that if you later decide to set yourself up somewhere else, you may need to manually relocate your items, ships, vehicles, and other goods rather than expecting the game to move everything automatically.

For a new player with one starter ship and limited equipment, that may not be a major burden.

For someone beginning with several ships, vehicles, or a large collection of equipment, it deserves more thought.

Your later waking location and medical regeneration setup are more flexible than your initial asset placement. Supported medical facilities can be used to change the relevant medical regeneration location.

In practical terms:

Choose carefully, but do not treat Primary Residence as a permanent lock on where you can play.

Should Your Ships or Vehicles Affect Your Starting Location?

Sometimes.

A typical beginner with one starter spacecraft does not need to build the entire decision around the ship.

Ground vehicles are the clearest exception.

RSI's current dedicated guidance states that New Babbage and Lorville are good choices for players who want practical access to ground vehicles.

Again, the issue is not whether the Personal Hangar can spawn the vehicle.

All Personal Hangars can do that.

The issue is whether the location provides a usable ground-level garage exit.

If you already own a more complex fleet, your Primary Residence deserves additional planning because relocating those assets later may require manual work.

Should You Choose Based on Missions or aUEC?

Not during initial setup.

Mission balance, profession profitability, and popular money-making routes can change between patches.

Your initial residence does not permanently restrict you to activities around that planet.

Once you understand ship retrieval, flight, navigation, and landing, you can travel elsewhere when a mission or career requires it.

If your actual question is where or how to make money efficiently, that belongs in the Star Citizen aUEC Guide rather than this starting-location comparison.

Should You Choose Based on Your Future Career?

Only if you already have a clear plan.

A brand-new player usually does not yet know whether they will prefer:

• bounty hunting;
• FPS missions;
• cargo hauling;
• trading;
• mining;
• salvage;
• medical gameplay.

Choosing your Primary Residence around a profession you have never tried can create unnecessary optimization.

A more useful order is:

Choose your starting location → learn the basic game loop → try missions → choose a career.

The Star Citizen Career Roadmap becomes more useful after ship operation and navigation are no longer the main things you are learning.

What Happens After You Choose Your Starting Location?

Once you have confirmed your initial location, you can move into Star Citizen's beginner onboarding.

You do not need to understand ASOP terminals, quantum travel, ship insurance, inventory management, and every other system before making the city choice.

Make the residence decision first.

Then continue with the Star Citizen Tutorial Guide, which covers the next stage of the beginner roadmap without repeating this city comparison.

From there, the learning path moves naturally into your Personal Hangar, ship retrieval, and basic ship operation.

Common Starting Location Mistakes

Choosing Only for a Current Money-Making Meta

Your starting city does not permanently limit where you can play.

A profession or mission type that is unusually profitable in one patch is not a strong reason by itself to base your initial setup around that location.

Assuming Everything Moves Automatically Later

It does not.

RSI warns that changing where you establish yourself later may require manually moving items, ships, vehicles, and other possessions.

This matters much more to a player with an established fleet than to someone entering with a basic starter package.

Ignoring Ground-Vehicle Access

If ground vehicles matter to you, consider the location before confirming your residence.

RSI currently identifies New Babbage and Lorville as good choices because practical use depends on ground-level access, not merely whether a Personal Hangar can spawn the vehicle.

Treating Primary Residence as a Permanent Lock

It controls important parts of your initial setup, but it does not prevent you from traveling elsewhere, changing where you commonly operate, or updating your medical regeneration location later.

Trying to Memorize the Entire Starting City

You do not need to.

For your first session, learn the route from your hab through the local transportation system to the spaceport and ship retrieval area.

RSI maintains official beginner departure guides for New Babbage, Area18, Lorville, and Orison.

Alpha 4.10.2 Notes for New Players

RSI's current Star Citizen Alpha 4.10.2 Known Issues page was updated on October 9, 2026.

Current RSI starting-location documentation does not provide a reason to universally exclude any of the four Stanton options in this guide.

That does not mean the cities or their associated gameplay are bug-free.

Alpha 4.10.2 has current issues affecting systems new players may encounter later, including technical, vehicle, item, and other gameplay problems. Because those issues are version-sensitive and are not part of the residence decision itself, check the current Known Issues documentation or the relevant troubleshooting guide when a specific system fails.

Best Starting Location FAQ

What is the best starting location in Star Citizen?

For a completely new player without a specific location or fleet requirement, New Babbage is our editorial best-overall recommendation in Alpha 4.10.2.

RSI does not officially rank New Babbage as the universally best starting city.

What starting locations can you choose in Stanton?

RSI's current beginner documentation uses New Babbage, Area18, Lorville, and Orison as the four major Stanton starting locations. Other systems or locations may be available under some circumstances, but RSI focuses its beginner guide on Stanton.

Is New Babbage good for beginners?

Yes. It is our general-purpose recommendation for someone without a stronger preference. It is also one of the two locations—along with Lorville—that RSI identifies as a good choice when practical ground-vehicle access matters.

Is Area18 a good starting location?

Yes. Area18 is a valid choice for players who specifically want to begin on ArcCorp. The official route begins at Adira Falls and leads through ArcCorp's city transportation toward Riker Memorial Spaceport.

Is Lorville a good starting location?

Yes. Lorville is particularly relevant if you want to begin on Hurston or if practical ground-vehicle access matters. RSI currently identifies both Lorville and New Babbage as good ground-vehicle starting choices.

Is Orison a good starting location for beginners?

Yes, particularly if you specifically want to begin around Crusader. If practical ground-vehicle access is one of your main requirements, New Babbage or Lorville are the stronger documented choices.

Can I change my Primary Residence later?

You can establish yourself elsewhere, but your initial assets do not automatically relocate with you. RSI warns that items, ships, vehicles, and other goods may need to be moved manually.

Does starting location affect my ships and equipment?

Yes. Primary Residence is important to your initial asset setup and where your starting possessions are based. It does not prevent you from moving those assets elsewhere later.

Where should I start if I own ground vehicles?

RSI's current dedicated guidance identifies New Babbage or Lorville as good choices when practical ground-vehicle access matters.

Can every Personal Hangar spawn a ground vehicle?

Yes, according to current RSI guidance. However, not every location has a suitable ground-level garage exit, so being able to spawn a vehicle does not guarantee equally practical access for driving it outside.

Does starting location affect missions?

Your location affects what is convenient nearby when you begin, but it does not permanently lock you to missions around that planet.

Should I start in Stanton?

For a brand-new player, Stanton is the system used by RSI's current Getting Started documentation. RSI notes that other available systems or locations may be less suitable for someone who is still learning the game.

Where to Go Next

If you came here from the Star Citizen Beginner Guide, you have now handled the first major decision in the beginner roadmap.

Choose Area18 if ArcCorp is where you want to begin, Lorville if Hurston or practical ground-vehicle access is important, and Orison if you specifically want Crusader.

If you have no stronger requirement, this guide recommends New Babbage.

Once you have made the choice, there is little value in continuing to optimize the city decision. The next useful question is how Star Citizen's beginner onboarding works and whether you should follow it.

That is covered in the Star Citizen Tutorial Guide.

After onboarding, the roadmap moves into your Personal Hangar Guide and then ship retrieval through the ASOP Terminal Guide.

Final Summary

The best starting location in Star Citizen depends partly on what you already own and where you want your first sessions to take place.

For a completely new player in Alpha 4.10.2, New Babbage remains our editorial best-overall recommendation. RSI does not officially rank it first.

Choose Area18 if you specifically want ArcCorp. Choose Lorville if Hurston appeals to you or practical ground-vehicle access is important. Choose Orison if you specifically want to begin around Crusader.

For ground vehicles, current RSI guidance specifically identifies New Babbage and Lorville as good choices. All Personal Hangars can spawn ground vehicles, but not every location has suitable ground-level access for driving them outside.

Your Primary Residence matters because it establishes your initial assets and setup, but it does not permanently lock you to that location. Relocating later may simply require moving ships and possessions yourself.

Once you have chosen, continue with the Star Citizen Tutorial Guide.

How We Keep This Guide Updated

Starting locations, hangars, transportation routes, and related gameplay can change as Star Citizen develops.

This guide is reviewed primarily against RSI Knowledge Base documentation, including the current Getting Started guide, official city departure guides, ground-vehicle guidance, hangar documentation, and the current LIVE Known Issues page.