Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) is keeping things vague, not only about Star Citizen, but also about its single-player segment.
Last week, Star Citizen surpassed $1 billion in player-funded contributions — a breathtaking milestone that has inevitably raised questions about CIG’s ambitious space MMO. But what about the single-player component, Squadron 42? According to the latest information, Squadron 42 could be released as early as this year. However, given the wide release window and the game’s numerous delays, this is difficult to take seriously.
However, Squadron 42 may finally be almost ready. In a recent interview, Star Citizen creator Chris Roberts said that development of the single-player game is in its final stages. Speaking with Variety at the latest DefenseCon event, Roberts shared new details about Squadron 42’s current status. First, he reiterated the game’s concept: it uses technology developed for Star Citizen to create a scripted single-player campaign.
“Basically, you’re the star of this huge blockbuster movie, and it seamlessly transitions between storytelling and cinematic moments to you being in control in first person. It feels pretty epic. I’m actually very excited for when people play it because we’re right at the end. We’re in the closing stages, and it’s coming together really well. As launch gets closer and closer, it’s very hard to keep it under wraps,” Roberts said.
Roberts added that the pressure surrounding Squadron is mounting, referring to the game’s marketing. He believes that the first promotional materials may be released soon. He explained that this is a difficult situation because he believes CIG has a close relationship with the community. All signs point to us hearing more about Squadron 42 soon, though it won’t necessarily be good news. Following Roberts’ comments to Variety, rumors began circulating that CIG’s announcement would not be a release date but rather another delay.
These rumors mainly come from Star Citizen expert TheAstroPub. In his latest video, TheAstroPub claims to have spoken with several anonymous Star Citizen developers who have kept him updated on the state of development over the past few years. According to TheAstroPub, his sources indicated that Squadron 42 entered some form of beta in February or March of this year. Recently, TheAstroPub reached out to his sources again, and they expressed concerns about Squadron 42’s performance at launch. When asked whether these performance issues could be resolved by the October release date, the response was surprising. They all told him it wouldn’t be released in October but next year. TheAstroPub heard a specific date, which he doesn’t want to disclose so as not to get the developers in trouble.
Squadron 42 is a game that Geoff Keighley would love to showcase at Summer Game Fest. The fact that Roberts is openly talking about ramping up marketing lends credence to the idea that Squadron 42 will be showcased at Summer Game Fest. As for whether such a presentation would announce a release date or a delay, we’d bet on both—specifically, a concrete release date in 2027, as TheAstroPub’s video suggests.
