Cloud Imperium Games released a new trailer for Squadron 42, the single-player spinoff of Star Citizen that has been in development for more than a decade. The footage makes a fairly convincing case that this game isn’t vaporware, and it is now available to wishlist on Steam ahead of a planned Q2 2027 release.
The trailer features cinematic cutscenes with the voices and likenesses of numerous acclaimed actors, alongside gameplay snippets showing ground-based, first-person shooting and space combat. A press release gives a full setup for the story, which is set in the Star Citizen universe.
The year is 2945, and the United Empire of Earth stands on the verge of collapse as threats from outlaws and hostile alien forces emerge from the darkest reaches of space. Players enlist as a rookie in the UEE Navy, embarking on a dangerous journey that will take them from a recruit to the heart of a galactic war. Stationed aboard a massive capital ship, they’ll live and work alongside a dynamic crew, forge relationships, and face the sacrifices and split-second decisions that will shape their path forward as they earn their place, their rank, and their legacy.
The trailer suggests Squadron 42 will be quite narrative-focused, driven home by a stacked cast including Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Gillian Anderson, Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham, Andy Serkis, Henry Cavill, Ben Mendelsohn, John Rhys-Davies, and many more familiar faces. The trailer’s somewhat jingoistic framing makes the game look a bit like Starship Troopers without the satire, but that may be misdirection. As for gameplay, the press release offers the following description:
Whether maneuvering through a space battle, stealthily moving through an enemy-held location, or making a critical decision alongside fellow crew members, players will experience the story firsthand through a mix of action, exploration, and interactive cinematic sequences. Together, these elements pair the scale of a space epic with the personal stakes of a story about the people fighting to survive it.
What’s the deal with Star Citizen?
Star Citizen is a multiplayer space trading and flight-action MMO led by Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts that was announced in 2012. Since then, it has become one of the most highly funded crowdsourced entertainment projects ever, having raised over a billion dollars. However, more than a decade later, the game still isn’t finished. An early access version was released in 2017 for those who backed the game, but as of 2026, players are still criticizing it for game-breaking bugs, bland missions, and many other issues.
Star Citizen’s monetization practices have also come under fire over the years, with in-game ships that go for hundreds to thousands of real-world dollars. Hopefully, Squadron 42‘s more contained scopemeans it will be more functional and well-received than its MMO counterpart.
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