You’d be forgiven for finding Star Citizen impenetrable. Cloud Imperium’s colossal MMO might present itself as a spaceship simulator, but there’s so much more to it. It’s got a persistent sci-fi universe, ships to buy with real money, ground and space combat, and a whole cacophony of new features being added regularly. This is where Squadron 42 steps up to the plate. A bespoke single-player experience in the Star Citizen universe, a lot of the MMO’s gameplay is there but in a much more manageable package. Now, after a decade of delays, we finally have a new launch year, and over an hour of gameplay footage to boot.
In case you missed the stream, Squadron 42’s extended gameplay reveal came at the annual Citizencon event. Run by Cloud Imperium from Saturday October 19 to Sunday October 20, it features plenty of news, updates, and more for the MMO. To close out the first day, we finally got to watch over an hour of the Star Citizen spinoff. We even learned when we can expect the launch.
Before the extended look at Squadron 42 though, Cloud Imperium Games CEO Chris Roberts came on stage. “Last year we announced that Squadron 42 is feature complete, so what has the team been doing since?” Roberts asks. “Given the scale and ambition of Squadron [42], our teams have been focused on polishing and optimizing to ensure the game meets the high standards that I have, the team has, and you guys have.
“The story on a regular playthrough is anywhere from 30 to 40 hours in length,” Roberts continues. “Both the team and I are confident in giving you this game in 2026.” You can get your first look at over an hour of Squadron 42 gameplay below.
If this is your first time checking out Squadron 42, you’ll have also noticed that the cast is absolutely stacked. It’ll feature Henry Cavill, Gillian Anderson, Andy Serkis, Mark Strong, Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Ben Mendelson, Sophie Wu, and even more.
In the game, you’ll take on the role of a rookie UEE pilot, with segments split between spaceship and ground combat. You’ll also make yourself at home on an enormous Navy capital ship, interacting with many of the characters while building relationships with them.
With the wait for Squadron 42 getting even longer, you can stay busy with all the best simulation games and multiplayer games in the meantime.
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