Squadron 42
The single-player campaign set in the Star Citizen universe. Release is planned for Q2 2027.
What is Star Citizen?
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Do you dream of exploring the endless reaches of space? Of flying your own ship, discovering distant planets and writing your own story in a living universe? Star Citizen is more than just a game, it’s an ambitious vision that sets out to redefine what a space sim can be.
Developed by Cloud Imperium Games (CIG), it combines the freedom of an epic space sandbox with the intensity of first-person action and the depth of complex economic systems. Dive into a universe that keeps evolving and where every decision counts.
Chris Roberts launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2012 so he wouldn’t have to depend on a publisher. The original goal was a fairly small game that was supposed to come out within a few years. But the campaign’s huge success changed the scope of development too. After a poll among the backers, the goal and size of the game changed dramatically.
Since then, CIG has employed around 700 developers in the USA, Germany, the UK and Canada who, in their own words, want to redefine the classic space sim.
A project redefined
Still planned as a single game during the Kickstarter campaign, Squadron 42 and Star Citizen were later split. The scope had become too big to keep everything in one game. Since then, CIG has been developing two games at the same time, with a large part of the development overlapping.
Heads up
Squadron 42 and Star Citizen are two separate games that are also sold separately. If you buy Star Citizen now, you do not get Squadron 42 on top.
Original backers who funded the game before the split get both games. Pre-sales for Squadron 42 were paused for the time being because the release date wasn’t in sight yet. In the meantime, the release has been announced for Q2 2027 and confirmed several times. There’s no more precise date yet, and no news on when pre-sales will resume.
Cost for the player
Star Citizen is a so-called buy-to-play game. That means once you’ve bought it, you don’t have to pay anything else. There’s no monthly subscription fee, and buying in-game items isn’t necessary either.
The media often report on expensive ship packages, and yes, you can sink an unbelievable amount of money into this game. You could also fairly accuse CIG of using tactics like FOMO (fear of missing out, i.e. artificial scarcity to drive sales) to get more money out of players’ pockets. On the other hand, CIG is both developer and publisher of Star Citizen, and there are no other investors. The company funds itself entirely through these sales and uses them to secure its finances.
To be clear: You can fully enjoy the game with the Star Citizen First Flight Pack and the
Every ship and every piece of equipment you can buy for real money in the Star Citizen store can also be obtained in-game. But if you do want to spend money, there are more than enough ways to do it: ships, skins, armor and weapons, but also monthly subscriptions that even get you furniture for your base. All of that is optional and not necessary to play the game.
Your adventure in the ‘verse: What can you do?
Star Citizen gives you unmatched freedom to forge your own destiny. Here are some of the paths you can take:
- Exploration and discovery: Fly your ship through huge, breathtaking star systems and discover asteroid fields, old stations and detailed planets with bases, cave systems, flora and fauna. Every jump into the unknown holds new dangers and untold riches.
- Trading and economy: Become an intergalactic trader. Buy goods cheap and sell them at a profit on distant markets. But watch out: pirates lurk everywhere, and demand changes all the time.
- Combat and security: Whether as a daring bounty hunter tracking down outlaws or as part of a fleet fighting epic battles: the first-person fights in space and on the ground are intense and demanding. Defend yourself or hunt your prey!
- Mining and resources: Extract valuable ores from asteroids or planetary surfaces. From hand mining to mining with large ships, you gather the raw materials that keep the ‘verse running.
- Salvage and repair: Become a specialist in recovering lost cargo and wrecks. One person’s loss is your gain.
- And much more: From racing across planetary surfaces to complex operations with your organization, Star Citizen offers countless ways to spend your time.
What makes Star Citizen so unique?
- A universe without borders: No loading screens between planets, space stations or deep space. Star Citizen is a seamless, huge universe that you can explore freely.
- Detailed systems: Every ship, every weapon, every system has been created with incredible attention to detail. From gravity and fuel consumption to complex ship systems, every decision counts here.
- A variety of careers: Choose your own path. Whether you’re a peaceful trader, a ruthless pirate, a seasoned miner or a life-saving medic, Star Citizen gives you the tools to live your role.
- Constant development: Star Citizen is a living project. New ships, systems, planets and gameplay features are added regularly. You’re part of a community that actively helps shape development.
Ready for your adventure? Here’s how to get started!
Getting into such a huge universe can feel overwhelming. But don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it step by step. Here are your first important stops:
- Create an account and buy the game: Learn how to create your Star Citizen account and get your starter pack.
- Your first flight: My guides help you fly your first ship and understand the basic mechanics.
- Use exclusive perks: If you sign up with a referral code, you don’t just get extra starting credit, sometimes you also get exclusive in-game items. Use my code STAR-KQJM-Q44K and start with a head start!
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