Star Wars: Squadrons–Lucasfilm and EA’s next first-person space combat game is coming this Fall

Eight years ago this week, LucasArts revealed footage for a next-generation video game, Star Wars 1313. It looked like it was going to be incredible (we previewed it here at borg). It had cutting edge graphics, but it got cancelled as a result of Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars. Flash forward to today, and after 17 other franchise game releases now the latest game preview for Star Wars is here: Star Wars: Squadrons. It arrives with some nice visual effects and a mirroring of play options. Players play one of five Rebel “New Republic” X-Wing pilots, including a Trandoshan alien (like the bounty hunter Bossk) or one of five members of an Imperial TIE-Fighter squadron. Lucasfilm and EA/Electronic Arts have partnered to create this first-person space combat game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and playable via virtual reality (VR) on PlayStation 4 and PC. It is set after the events of Return of the Jedi.

In their press announcement, the designers promise “deep craft customization, in-depth strategy, and gripping gameplay mode” with “strategic 5v5 multiplayer space battles with the goal of demolishing the opposing flagship in Fleet Battles” along with dogfights and detailed interior and exterior ship modifications.

As for the substance of the game and story, we catch up with the good guys and bad guys after the Battle of Endor after the Rebellion has defeated the Empire by destroying the second Death Star. Players learn the ropes as part of the New Republic Vanguard Squadron or the Galactic Empire Titan Squadron. Look for all-new characters, plus appearances by familiar faces from earlier in the Star Wars saga (like Wedge Antilles, seen in the preview).

Here is the first preview footage for Star Wars: Squadrons:

As usual, Lucasfilm makes great use of the John Williams scores to bring players right back into the nostalgia for the films. Learn more at the EA website here.