Squadron 42 gameplay video is out as Star Citizen dev is "confident" single-player will launch in 2026

[midian182]

Something to look forward to: When the star-studded trailer for Star Citizen's single-player element, Squadron 42, dropped in 2018, the concept of a global pandemic seemed like sci-fi, Russia wasn't making the world worry, and Donald Trump was in his second year in office. Six years later and 12 years after the game's original Kickstarter, Squadron 42 still isn't here, but we've now been given a "confident" release date of 2026, along with an hour-long gameplay video.

Developer Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) showed off the extended clip of Squadron 42 at CitizenCon 2954 at Manchester, UK, over the weekend.

A lot of the video does bring to mind a modern version of the old Wing Commander games, which CIG boss Chris Roberts created. Players take on the role of a rookie pilot on board a capital ship, going on missions while forming relationships with other characters.

Wing Commander was a classic 90s series. Later games featured FMV scenes with stars such as Mark Hamill, Lord of the Rings' John Rhys-Davies, and Back to the Future's Thomas F. Wilson. This writer recalls adult film star Ginger Lynn Allen's appearance in Wing Commander 3.

Squadron 42 has a stellar Hollywood cast, including Gillian Anderson, Henry Cavill, Gary Oldman, and Mark Strong. The actors finished their performance capture for the game way back in 2015, so some might have forgotten they were even in it.

The gameplay demo is pretty heavy on the cutscenes, mixed in with on-rails turret action and a first-person shooting section at the end. It's fair to say that reaction to the video has been mixed.

Roberts said on stage that Squadron 42 will have 30 to 40 hours of gameplay. As for the elusive release date, Roberts and the team are "confident" it will arrive in 2026, so fans will be waiting at least a year and a few more months before trying out the final version. It's worth remembering that Squadron 42 was scheduled to launch in the summer of 2020, and in 2022, Roberts said the game was still one or two years away, so don't be surprised if we experience more delays.

There's still no release window for the main Star Citizen MMO game, which has now raised over $729 million in crowdfunding since the original Kickstarter in 2012, which raised over $2 million.

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Squadron 42 gameplay video is out as Star Citizen dev is "confident" single-player will launch in 2026

 

[Squid Surprise]

Got to be impressed that Roberts still manages to hustle people into giving money for a game that will never release…

 

[Puiu]

That looks so far from being release ready that even 2028 is unlikely.

 

[Anton Longshot]

Lets all pour money into this so it will finally ship!

Just kidding. I can't believe that people keep falling for this and what amazes me even more is that some hardcore believers have been in this boat from the start.

Roberts and his gang probably own private islands and yachts and brush their teeth with Dom Perignon while driving their Ferrari's...dunno why they don't just quit - I doubt they actually need more money.

 

[KedsDead]

I have hundreds of hours playing the alpha of Star Citizen. Sure, its not fully polished but there is alot of things to do in the game. I have played this game more than I have some of the more recent games since 2020. I think the only game I have more time in is X4.

So yeah, I am a space sim fan. I compare this gameplay to Star Field, I definitely got my money's worth out of Star Citizen than I did out of Star Field or some of these other completely broken on release games.

You can call it a scam if you want, but the amount of time I have put into playing, and even having huge amounts of fun playing this game with groups. I got my money's worth.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Oh good, just a DECADE after it was supposed to release. ROFL.

But dont worry, keep shoveling millions into Robert's furnace, he's still cooking. It might be done by the time I retire.

I have hundreds of hours playing the alpha of Star Citizen. Sure, its not fully polished but there is alot of things to do in the game. I have played this game more than I have some of the more recent games since 2020. I think the only game I have more time in is X4.

So yeah, I am a space sim fan. I compare this gameplay to Star Field, I definitely got my money's worth out of Star Citizen than I did out of Star Field or some of these other completely broken on release games.

You can call it a scam if you want, but the amount of time I have put into playing, and even having huge amounts of fun playing this game with groups. I got my money's worth.

Just because you put hundreds of hours into an alpha doesnt mean it isnt a scam. There's someone out there with 100 hours in StarForge. Still a scam.

 

[zx8086]

That people can compare this to Starfield blows my mind. They are completely different games (even if we disregard it's not really a full game).

Also, the gfx is not really that super duper amazing as we are supposed to believe. Not too bad, but definitely not totally next gen either.

I also always wonder whether there is any confirmed source for the huge money figures they always announce. 729 mil...receipts, please?

 

[passingposeidon]

I have hundreds of hours playing the alpha of Star Citizen. Sure, its not fully polished but there is alot of things to do in the game. I have played this game more than I have some of the more recent games since 2020. I think the only game I have more time in is X4.

So yeah, I am a space sim fan. I compare this gameplay to Star Field, I definitely got my money's worth out of Star Citizen than I did out of Star Field or some of these other completely broken on release games.

You can call it a scam if you want, but the amount of time I have put into playing, and even having huge amounts of fun playing this game with groups. I got my money's worth.

But did you pay like, $500+? Because if so, it's kind of a scam. If you just paid a low price, fair enough.

 

[whateversa]

I hope everyone that calls this game a scam and says it will never release gets banned from the game

I have played the MMO Star Citizen for countless hours - built up millions in UEC so I could get a bigger ship.

Yes they are far behind schedule. Yes more unexpected delays may come up. I have the same problem in my own job in software development. Some things cannot be properly estimated.

 

[whateversa]

But did you pay like, $500+? Because if so, it's kind of a scam. If you just paid a low price, fair enough.

This is an issue of perspective. Its about financing development of a dream game - it's your choice to pretty much donate towards it or not.

No one else can give you what Star Citizen is building... You cannot buy this anywhere else.

 

[toooooot]

I just want to see how much money they have left, (if any).

 

[OortCloud]

I think it looks great - the baddies remind me of the bad guys in Conflict Freespace.
I certainly wouldn't buy it before it releases however...

 

[passingposeidon]

This is an issue of perspective. Its about financing development of a dream game - it's your choice to pretty much donate towards it or not.

No one else can give you what Star Citizen is building... You cannot buy this anywhere else.

For sure spending money is all about perspective. Would you spend $50,000 on a bottle of champagne? Some people would. Is that good value? It's a matter of perspective. And nobody else is offering champagne like that ...

 

[Burty117]

That people can compare this to Starfield blows my mind. They are completely different games (even if we disregard it's not really a full game).

Soo you might not think they’re similar games, but A LOT of people out there do, Starfield was so rubbish, a week after its launch, Star Citizen started seeing an influx of new players for a few weeks because people wanted a proper space game, not whatever Starfield is.

Also, the gfx is not really that super duper amazing as we are supposed to believe. Not too bad, but definitely not totally next gen either.

I agree, however, they’ve shown off their new Ray-Tracing tech, cloud tech and a host of other lighting related updates, they are not applied to Squadron42 yet, probably why they want two years to get them up to the best quality possible.
I particularly noticed shadows on ships being very low res and causing image fizzle and breakup, that’s definitely all stuff they’re working on.

I also always wonder whether there is any confirmed source for the huge money figures they always announce. 729 mil...receipts, please?

They have a running counter directly on the website:

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/funding-goals

 

[hahahanoobs]

Courts move faster than this dev team.

 

[zx8086]

Soo you might not think they’re similar games, but A LOT of people out there do, Starfield was so rubbish, a week after its launch, Star Citizen started seeing an influx of new players for a few weeks because people wanted a proper space game, not whatever Starfield is.

I agree, however, they’ve shown off their new Ray-Tracing tech, cloud tech and a host of other lighting related updates, they are not applied to Squadron42 yet, probably why they want two years to get them up to the best quality possible.
I particularly noticed shadows on ships being very low res and causing image fizzle and breakup, that’s definitely all stuff they’re working on.

They have a running counter directly on the website:

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/funding-goals

1) Starfield is not rubbish, it's just what the internet hate bandwagon dubbed it to be. It's definitely the weakest Bethesda game, but it's still pretty good nonetheless, and you can have a lot of fun in it if you keep open mind.

But, it's an open world RPG first and foremost, just like what they have been doing since the Nineties, with space combat being just one element that always was going to be the weakest. Anybody who expected anything else hasn't got a clue about videogaming. It's like being disappointed in Deus Ex because you expected Doom gameplay.

2) Regarding the funds, I was asking about some independent, verifiable source of these claims. Their website is definitely not it

 

[Burty117]

1) Starfield is not rubbish, it's just what the internet hate bandwagon dubbed it to be. It's definitely the weakest Bethesda game, but it's still pretty good nonetheless, and you can have a lot of fun in it if you keep open mind.

But, it's an open world RPG first and foremost, just like what they have been doing since the Nineties, with space combat being just one element that always was going to be the weakest. Anybody who expected anything else hasn't got a clue about videogaming. It's like being disappointed in Deus Ex because you expected Doom gameplay.

It is rubbish though, I painfully watched people play it, big Bethesda fans as well, it’s just not a very good game.

Starfield, no flying down to a planet, it’s a load screen, when you are down, it’s just a portion of the planet, then it’s a couple of load screens, enter the interior of any building, load screen, same with exiting, load screen. Did we go back-in-time 10-15 years?

Then there’s the NPC’s themselves, and the dialog from them, weaker than any of their past games.

Also, A LOT of nothingness, which is similar to Star Citizen on some moons I suppose. Except I can at least leave to go somewhere else more exciting.

I dunno man, calling Starfield a great game is a bit of a stretch, good as in “playable, passes the time” maybe but good as in “really enjoyable experience” seems like a stretch.

 

[Jarenien]

I don't understand the hate this game gets. This is literally going to be the best game to hit a computer in literally ever. The # of gameplay systems they've already shown along with the absolutely epic story and graphics (those that say they're not topnotch, I have nothing to say, because you have to be effin' blind or something) this game is going to be revolutionary. Those that think otherwise are just fools. Is it 2026 yet?

 

[dangh]

So. It will take 15 years from promise to release, if they will actually release it in 26, and they are founded by people paying for future dream. I just hope my 50 eur original ship will be worth much more after real release so ill sell it and forget about this scam attempt
But hey, realistically we wont see it anyway before 2030. Maybe 2031, so it will take full 20 years. Round numbers.

 

[Squid Surprise]

2) Regarding the funds, I was asking about some independent, verifiable source of these claims. Their website is definitely not it

If it isn’t accurate, then it only furthers the “bashers’” points, as Chris Roberts would be guilty of fraud along with just making vaporware…

id be inclined to believe the number is probably on the low end - and that the shortfall was embezzled.

 

[zx8086]

It is rubbish though, I painfully watched people play it, big Bethesda fans as well, it’s just not a very good game.

Starfield, no flying down to a planet, it’s a load screen, when you are down, it’s just a portion of the planet, then it’s a couple of load screens, enter the interior of any building, load screen, same with exiting, load screen. Did we go back-in-time 10-15 years?

Then there’s the NPC’s themselves, and the dialog from them, weaker than any of their past games.

Also, A LOT of nothingness, which is similar to Star Citizen on some moons I suppose. Except I can at least leave to go somewhere else more exciting.

I dunno man, calling Starfield a great game is a bit of a stretch, good as in “playable, passes the time” maybe but good as in “really enjoyable experience” seems like a stretch.

Well, watching ain't the same as playing, isn't it?
Most of these complaints are the same Bethesda always gets, because people look at some other game and think that because it does something then it sure should be the same? Well, no. What works in NMS won't work in Starfield because if you can fly down to a planet and walk into any buidling, you will have to sacrifice zillion other things such as physics, complexity, gfx, etc.

The dialogue and story has always been weak in their games, but I play them for gameplay and emergent stories, not scripted ones. I'd much rather have them concentrate on building complex gameplay systems than worrying about motion capture and voice actors.

Yes, I'd much rather play Skyrim or FO4, but even so I still got a lot of enjoyment out of Starfield, and that's even before doing any serious modding.

Conversely, Star Citizen is supposed to be a space flight sim, not a complex RPG. Completely different kettle of fish. They have been chiseling doing that in one star system or so since forever, spending gargantuan budget on it and still being in alpha, so that's why comparing it to an actually released RPG game is silly.

 

[lripplinger]

This is still a thing after how many years or is it a decade now?