Star Wars Squadrons is a tactical first-person space combat shooter that will allow players to pilot New Republic and Empire ships in immersive 5v5 multiplayer battles.
The EA Motive game was revealed on June 15 to much excitement after leaks on the Xbox website gave away its name. Squadrons may not have enjoyed the blockbuster success of some of the best Star Wars games, but it’s certainly a unique and addictive spin on the franchise for the modern gaming audience.
The game looks a little bit like Starfighter Assault, the 24 player online mode in Star Wars Battlefront 2 that pits pilots against each other and 40 AI bots, except this game is a bit more tactical – and you can play it in VR too. Here we’ve compiled everything you need to know about Star Wars Squadrons.
Star Wars Squadrons release date
The Star Wars Squadron release date was October 2, 2020. The game released initially on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for $39.99. A next-gen upgraded version for the Xbox Series X|S also arrived on December 3, 2020.
On PS4 and PC, the game is also compatible with VR headsets for the ultimate immersion into your dogfights.
Star Wars Squadrons trailers
Above you can watch EA and Motive Studio’s reveal trailer from June 15, 2020. The trailer shows off lots of lovely cinematics from the game, but it didn’t really show off much in the way of gameplay.
However, on June 18, loads of juicy details were revealed during EA Play Live, including a full gameplay trailer.
Star Wars Squadrons gameplay
Star Wars Squadrons offers fans both a single-player campaign and multiplayer modes. In the campaign, you create two characters – one Imperial pilot and one Rebel pilot – to play through the main story.
For multiplayer, there are two main modes: Dogfights and Fleet Battles. Dogfights are straight-up five versus five team deathmatch-style games in which you essentially aim to eliminate as many of the opposition as possible.
Fleet Battles, which are described as the game’s “signature mode,” are multi-stage battles in which a team faces enemy players or AI in a regular Dogfight, then moves on to clear two “medium-sized capital ships,” before finally attempting to take down the opposing sides flagship.
You can also create custom multiplayer matches where you can pick from various restrictions or modifiers.
With four different sub-classes of ship, the focus is not only on flying skill and accurate shooting but also on teamwork and strategy.
Players can boost their engines to get ahead of players, whip around, and fire missiles by hitting a 180 degree angle while drifting backwards. But players will also need to think about shifting shields during a dogfight and shifting power to various components.
Star Wars Squadrons cross-play
Star Wars Squadrons has cross-play for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and VR players. This means you’re able to team up with friends and take to the skies together – no matter what platform you’re all playing on.
Star Wars Squadrons ranks
While Star Wars Squadrons has a dedicated rankings system for competitive players.
Like most online multiplayer games, Squadrons has ranked seasons, except in this case they’re called Operations and they last for eight weeks. During that eight week period, pilots will work on their Fleet Battles rank, which are as follows:
- Maverick
- Hotshot
- Hero
- Valiant
- Legend
- Galactic Ace
To get their first rank, pilots need to play ten placement matches. Ranks will, of course, fluctuate after each match and will reset once the operation comes to an end.
Star Wars Squadrons cosmetics
While Star Wars Squadrons is an EA game, it seems that the publisher has learned from its mistakes with the likes of the Star Wars Battlefront games. Squadrons has lots of cosmetics for players to sink their teeth into, but these can only be earned through play – and not through controversial loot boxes.
There are also be ranked rewards for earning your stripes in the galaxy. Players who achieve Valiant, Legend, and Galactic Ace ranks over the course of an operation receive exclusive helmets to wear.
That’s everything you need to know about Star Wars Squadrons. While it may have swooped under the radar of most, this is a Star Wars game not to be missed – especially in VR.