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Squadron 42 – Star Citizen Single-Player Campaign

Squadron 42 Coming Q2 2027!

Last Updated: August 28, 2026
A cinematic space adventure set in the Star Citizen Universe with YOU at the center of it all!

Squadron 42 launches Q2 2027

What is Squadron 42?

Squadron 42 is a cinematic, single-player space adventure game being developed by Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) and features an all-star cast, including:

Take the role of a rookie UEE Navy combat pilot in a story-driven campaign to defend humanity from the Vanduul swarm. Encounter a new level of immersion as you seamlessly transition between daring dogfights in space and exhilarating ground combat. The narrative leads directly into the modern-day Star Citizen universe, although the two games are purchased separately (SQ42 is not currently for sale).

In October 2024, CIG announced that Squadron 42 was feature-complete and they planned to release the game in 2026. On August 27th, 2026, CIG Founder Chris Roberts postponed the release until Q2, 2027, to avoid launching at the same time as Grand Theft Auto VI.

Letter From the Chairman "At CitizenCon 2024 we announced we would ship in 2026. Our plan was to release in Q4 around IAE. But much like the rest of the industry there is no way I want to launch my spiritual successor to Wing Commander, a game that has had twelve years of blood, sweat and tears invested into it (we started Squadron 42 development in 2014 as 2013 was opening studios, hiring people and getting the Hangar module out for Star Citizen) launching into the attention buzz saw of GTA6. While GTA6 isn’t launching on PC this November, pretty much all outlets and most content creators will be all over it, not leaving a lot of room for other coverage" — Chris Roberts, Letter From the Chairman (August 27, 2026)

Squadron 42 Gameplay Reveal

Experience the first hour of gameplay in this CitizenCon exclusive live footage.

Squadron 42 FAQ

Squadron 42 carries you through vast, cinematic locations—from kilometer-long capital ships and sprawling space stations to remote moons—blending intense FPS action with high-stakes spaceship combat. With deeply customizable ships, advanced weapons, flexible mission paths, and adaptive enemy AI, every encounter rewards smart tactics and makes victory feel earned.
Squadron 42 uses advanced performance capture, including one-to-one facial scanning, facial rigs, blendshapes, and animated wrinkle and blood-flow maps to deliver lifelike characters portrayed by a world-class cast.
Squadron 42 delivers a campaign where you step into the role of a UEE Navy pilot defending humanity from both alien threats and human adversaries. Serving alongside a richly developed crew, your choices, actions, and reputation shape personal relationships and the narrative, creating a character-focused experience within a larger galactic conflict.
No, Squadron 42 is currently unavailable for preorder. It was removed from the pledge store in May 2023 and is expected to return closer to its planned Q2 2027 launch; for now, the only way to obtain a copy is by picking one up from another backer.
Yes, but in a limited way. Completing the initial Squadron 42 campaign is expected to grant UEE citizenship and may unlock access to certain military-adjacent ships, such as the Anvil F8C Lightning. Additional rewards or tie-ins are possible, but details remain unconfirmed and will become clearer closer to launch. If you've not yet tried Star Citizen, keep an eye out for the next free fly event!
Squadron 42 is planned to release as a trilogy, split into Mission Disks 1, 2, and 3. Backers who purchased the game before it was removed from the store in May 2023 will receive Mission Disk 1, while those who pledged before Star Citizen reached $6 million in funding will also receive Mission Disk 2 (Behind Enemy Lines, working title). All mission disks are expected to be available for purchase in the future, closer to their respective release dates.
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