‘Star Wars: Squadrons’ First-Person Space Dogfighting Game Announced For VR Headsets
5v5 multiplayer dogfights and a single player campaign confirmed.
Fans of 1998’s Star Wars: Rogue Squadron are in for a serious treat! Earlier this morning EA, Lucasfilm, and Motive Studios revealed the next entry in the Star Wars video game universe: Star Wars: Squadrons, an upcoming multiplayer dogfighter in which players engage in high-stakes space combat using an array of recognizable starfighters made famous throughout the films.
Launching October 2nd on PS4, Xbox One, and PC with support for PlayStation VR and PC VR headsets, Star Wars: Squadrons features a brand new story set just after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Players will take part in large-scale battles from the perspectives of two customizable pilots from the Imperial Republic’s Vanguard Squadron and the Galactic Empire’s Titan Squadron. In the process they’ll step into the cockpits of various iconic starfighters featured throughout the original trilogy, including the X-Wing and TIE Fighter.
“We created this game for every Star Wars fan who has ever dreamt about soaring across the galaxy in their favorite starfighter,” said Ian Frazier, Creative Director, Motive Studios, in an official statement. “Through the collaboration of the teams at Motive and Lucasfilm, we’ve been able to create a high-fidelity starfighter experience with an authentic storyline that invites Star Wars fans to explore never-before-seen corners of the galaxy in their own ship. We’re excited to show all this in action this week at EA Play Live.”
EA says the campaign will feature a brand new cast of characters as well as some familiar faces from the original franchise. Some eagle-eyed viewers have already pointed out what appear to appearances by veteran Rebel pilot Wedge Antilles as well as a few others.
In addition to the single-player campaign, players can duke it out online in 5v5 multiplayer skirmishes set throughout a variety of famous and never-before-seen locations throughout the SWU, including Yavin Prime and the shattered moon of Galitan. The official release mentions two game modes in particular. The first, “Dogfight,” sounds like your standard Team Deathmatch. The other, “Fleet Battle,” tasks players with destroying the opposing team’s massive flagship vessel.
According to EA, victory will depend heavily on proper strategy and coordination. Team’s will have the chance to plan their attacks ahead of time in the briefing room as well as modify their starfighters for each conflict. There’s even support for cross-platform play, allowing friends to meet up for some good old-fashioned dogfighting no matter what headset or platform they’re on.
Speaking of modifications, Star Wars: Squadrons promises a wide array of gameplay customizations and cosmetics to choose from. By completing objectives and increasing their ranks, players can unlock additional weapons, hulls, engines, and shields, as well as various customization options for the cockpit, hull appearance, and player cosmetics. According to EA, Star Wars Squadrons will feature zero microtransactions; at least at launch. If Star Wars Battlefront II is any indicator, we can definitely expect a handful of paid DLC releases post release.
Star Wars: Squadrons is available now for pre-order with an official launch scheduled for October 2nd. Those subscribed to EA Access and Origin Access Basic will receive 10 hours of free play time at launch; Origin Access Premier members will receive full access to the Basic release.
For more information visit ea.com/games/starwars.
Image Credit: Electronic Arts
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