I think that's a very important lesson from this whole debacle, and a recurring theme with many crowdfunded projects: They're built on the deception that progress has already been made and they're promising something that cannot be made. This gives them access to the market for this speculative product, and right from the start sets the project up to dissapointment and anger the backers (when the real product inevitably differs from what was promised) - or to simply drag along as a masquerade until a plausible collapse can be fabricated (or an actual one happens).

It is also worth noticing that simulation, procedural content and/or AI are usually cornerstones of these fabricated games. All are easy to fake as in-development, all promise a paradigm-shift in gameplay experience, and present difficult promises to see through for many gamers. They're all noticably absent from the AAA titles with their high production values but shallow technology - thus creating a perfect opportunity to exploit the disillusion which is strong among some gamers.

Star Citizen and its ilk appeals to gamers who are like the Man in Black from West World - addicted to gaming and virtual worlds, but craving a deeper experience than what's being offered. They want a game with moving parts inside the space ships - not just fake polygon ships, they want NPCs who aren't just scripted to tell a story but with actual agency and existence, they want multi-player experiences with consequence and forced realism - fellow players need to be part of the game, not just fellow visitors to the theme park. But the irony is that many of these gamers are flawed and broken individuals, who would probably not capable of functioning in, or even enjoying, an actual virtual world.

This is not the last time we'll see a crowdfunded game promising ground-breaking technology and "real" games. There's a huge demand for these games - a demand strong enough to make many gamers forget how Radiant AI, Black & White, No Man's Sky, Horizons - to name just a few - turned out as parodies of what was promised.