Squadron 42 Delayed to 2027
Squadron 42, the single-player, cinematic sci-fi game set in the Star Citizen universe, has been delayed once again. The title, which was originally slated to launch more than a decade ago in 2015, is now expected to be released in Q2 2027.
The decision to delay the game was made to avoid competing with GTA 6, which is scheduled to launch this November on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Game director Chris Roberts stated that the media attention surrounding the launch of GTA 6 will leave very little room for reviewers, streamers, and content creators to cover other games launching in the same window.
Roberts noted that Squadron 42 is a labor of love, with “twelve years of blood, sweat and tears” invested in it, and he doesn’t want the game to get caught up in the attention surrounding GTA 6.
He added that his team ideally wanted to launch the game in early 2027 but decided it would be better to release it after the hype surrounding GTA 6 had died down.
Squadron 42 is described as the spiritual successor to Wing Commander, featuring branching missions and first-person combat.
Related: AI fuels expertise crisis
The game was announced in 2013 via a Kickstarter campaign, with a tentative release date set for 2015. However, it has since been delayed multiple times, with the first gameplay video released only in 2024.
They expect to release Squadron 42 in multiple episodes, with Episode One said to offer about 70 missions spanning an estimated 20 hours of gameplay.
Episodes Two and Three will launch later. It will feature a star-studded cast, including Mark Hamill, Gary Oldman, Henry Cavill, and Gillian Anderson, among others.
Original backers and long-time Star Citizen content creators will get an opportunity to play the game on October 9 and 10.
The final launch date will be announced shortly thereafter.
Roberts acknowledged that many Star Citizen faithful will be disappointed that they won’t get to play Squadron 42 this year, but insisted that “it is the best thing for the project as it is truly something special and so needs the opportunity to have the focus of the wider gaming world.”
