This evening during EA Play 2020, Motive Studios and Lucasfilm revealed gameplay of Star Wars: Squadrons. The upcoming space combat game was announced prior to the show but EA had only shown screenshots and a cinematic trailer. Tonight, we got six minutes of space dogfighting action alongside actual gameplay details.
Star Wars: Squadrons is the "definitive" Star Wars experience, offering a single-player story alongside a robust multiplayer mode while giving players the option to experience it all in VR. The single-player story alternates between two combat pilots and flying for both the Empire as Case Kassandora and the New Republic as Rao Highmoon. EA didn't get too much into story details, but promised a diverse cast of characters fighting by your side as you shape the balance of power in the galaxy.
In multiplayer, there will be a variety of ships to choose from. Fighter class ships, which include the Tie Fighter and X-Wing, are "the most flexible and versatile." The fast and maneuverable Interceptors are ideal for hunting opponent star fighters. Support ships aid ally ships and disrupt enemy fighters. Bombers are the "heavy hitters" capable of dealing massive damage to flagships. Players can also customize their ships with over 50 components that alter how ships fly, fight, and survive. Cosmetic options include paint jobs, pilots, and cockpit knick knacks.
Star Wars: Squadrons will feature multiple modes. Dogfights are 5 vs. 5 team-based battles that resemble a standard multiplayer FPS deathmatch, but in space. The game's signature mode is Fleet Battles, multi-stage conflicts playable solo or multiplayer against other players or AI. As a squadron, players will strategize and fight through a series of individual staged missions, each with a different goal to advance. These were the only two modes details, but it's possible EA could add more post-launch.
It sounds like Star Wars: Squadrons will only offer a first-person point of view, putting players directly inside the cockpit. The instrumentation inside will serve as the HUD, providing all of the necessary information and critical feedback for power management, targeting, shielding and other gameplay details. With a goal to create an immersive space-combat experience, Star Wars: Squadrons will be playable in virtual reality.
The second Death Star is gone, but starfighter pilots unite on both sides of the Galactic Civil War as it rages on in STAR WARS™: Squadrons. Fight alongside your squadron to tip the scales in monumental fleet battles and compete in intense 5 vs. 5 dogfights. Get into the cockpit and triumph as a team by completing tactical objectives across known and never-before-seen battlefields, including the gas giant of Yavin Prime and the shattered moon of Galitan.
Star Wars: Squadrons will take flight on October 2, 2020. It will be available PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Origin PC, Steam, Epic Games Store and Virtual Reality (VR) on PlayStation 4 and PC with cross-play support.