By George Bate
EA announced their newest Star Wars game yesterday, entitled Star Wars: Squadrons. Squadrons will be a first-person space combat game in which players will hop in to some of the series’ most iconic starfighters in single player and multiplayer gameplay. Previously rumored under the title “Project Maverick,” Squadrons will mark the first major Star Wars dedicated to space battles since 2003’s Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike on the GameCube.
Star Wars: Squadrons is developed by Motive Studios, who have previously collaborated with DICE and Criterion Games on Star Wars: Battlefront II. Following the loot box controversy that surrounded much of the early days of Battlefront II, Squadrons’ range of customizable features, including new shields, engines and weapons, will be made available exclusively through gameplay. Squadrons will also support cross-platform multiplayer across Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. On PS4 and PC, the game will be compatible with VR headsets. It is unclear as of now whether Squadrons will eventually make its way to next-generation consoles like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
The game will also feature a single player campaign that takes place after the Battle of Endor. As the trailer hints at, the story will follow two customizable pilots, one who flies for the New Republic’s Vanguard Squadron and the other who flies for the Empire’s Titan Squadrons. The trailer showcased that both Hera Syndulla from Star Wars: Rebels and Wedge Antilles, who most recently appeared in The Rise of Skywalker, will play roles in the game’s storyline. Given the era the game is set in and the confirmed appearances of fan favorites, it’s possible more previously known characters will show up in Squadrons.
Squadrons will be released on October 2, 2020 and will sell for $39.99 in the U.S, a full $20 less than most retail games. Star Wars has a long tradition of some great video games, from Knights of the Old Republic to The Force Unleashed to the LEGO games to Battlefront and more, making a new Star Wars game like Squadrons something we’re eagerly anticipating.
Images courtesy of EA