If you want a released game while waiting for Squadron 42, start with Star Wars: Squadrons for a directed, first-person starfighter campaign built around military-style cockpit combat. Choose EVERSPACE 2 instead if your priority is a solo space-combat RPG with exploration, loot, mining, crafting, and long-term ship progression.
Squadron 42 itself is not downloadable yet. Roberts Space Industries currently lists a scheduled release window of Q2 2027, a future target that can change; that status was checked on October 18, 2026. No existing alternative reproduces every promise associated with it, so the useful question is which part of the experience you want to play now.
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What is happening with Squadron 42?
Squadron 42 is still an unreleased single-player campaign rather than a game you can install today. The current Roberts Space Industries support listing says, “The current scheduled release date is Q2 2027.” That is a schedule, not a guaranteed launch date, and it should be treated as volatile. The quarter also does not establish a final price, launch-day platform list, or the exact scope of the finished campaign.
That uncertainty explains why searches for “games like Squadron 42” produce several different kinds of recommendation. Some players mean first-person cockpit controls and squadron tactics. Others mean a cinematic, authored story, while many really want a solo spaceship game with a persistent upgrade loop. The two strongest documented substitutes address those needs differently.
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Two alternatives at a glance
| Game | Best match for | Structure | Combat identity | Exploration and progression | Multiplayer dependence | Availability documented today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Squadrons | A linear military-style pilot story and first-person dogfights | Distinct single-player campaign with a defined ending | Cockpit-based starfighter combat from a first-person perspective | Mission-focused; not built around a broad loot, mining, or crafting economy | Campaign is playable alone; multiplayer modes are an additional part of the game | Released October 2, 2020; Electronic Arts lists official purchase storefronts |
| EVERSPACE 2 | Solo exploration, ship builds, and action-RPG progression | Story progression across a more open set of space and planetary locations | Fast-paced spaceship-shooter handling with an action-RPG emphasis | Exploration, loot, mining, crafting, and equipment development are central systems | Designed as a single-player experience | Released on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, according to ROCKFISH Games |
Star Wars: Squadrons is the closest campaign substitute
Pick Star Wars: Squadrons when the words “single-player starfighter campaign” describe what you miss most. Electronic Arts presents it as “Master the art of starfighter combat in the authentic piloting experience STAR WARS™: SQUADRONS.” The game was released on October 2, 2020, and its defining feature is a dedicated story campaign rather than a sequence of unrelated challenges.
A directed story on both sides of the war
The campaign follows pilots on both sides of the Galactic Civil War. EA Motive’s gameplay overview describes missions that teach the player how to operate a starfighter while the story moves between the two opposing forces. StarWars.com likewise describes a unique single-player Star Wars story set near the end of the Galactic Civil War. That structure gives each sortie a clear narrative reason and preserves the feeling of serving in an organized squadron.
This is the strongest choice for readers who want briefings, named characters, mission objectives, and a sense that their flying is part of a larger military operation. You are not being asked to invent your own role in a sandbox; the campaign assigns the role and sets the next objective.
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What the cockpit experience delivers
Combat is presented as first-person starfighter flying. The cockpit view keeps navigation, weapon use, defensive systems, and situational awareness in the same space, so success depends on managing a craft rather than simply pointing a crosshair at targets. That focus makes it a natural answer for “first-person space dogfights” and for players who want a recognizable squadron identity rather than a generic spaceship shooter.
The emphasis also makes the game more specialized than a conventional action game. A player looking for constant equipment drops, resource harvesting, or a large map to roam between missions will find less of that here. The campaign is a complete, finite experience with a separate multiplayer component, not an endlessly expanding role-playing service.
Single-player and multiplayer are separate reasons to play
The authored campaign can be played on its own. Multiplayer modes add competitive and cooperative reasons to keep flying after the story, but they are not a prerequisite for understanding the campaign. This separation matters if you are specifically looking for a story-driven space game and do not want your progress tied to a team or an active online population.
Conversely, players who mainly want an open-ended solo journey should not buy it expecting a progression sandbox. The documented strengths are the campaign’s direction, the cockpit perspective, and the military framing. Those are the features that make it the closest substitute for the part of Squadron 42 most people picture first.
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- Choose it if a linear campaign is more important than collecting equipment.
- Choose it if you specifically want first-person starfighter combat rather than a third-person or heavily abstracted flight model.
- Choose it if the fantasy of serving in a formal squadron is more appealing than being an independent space pilot.
- Choose it if you want multiplayer available as an optional second mode, while keeping the story playable alone.
EVERSPACE 2 is the stronger solo space-combat RPG
EVERSPACE 2 is the better answer when “single-player space combat” means a continuing loop of flying, fighting, finding resources, and improving a ship. ROCKFISH Games describes it as “a fast-paced single-player spaceship shooter with exploration in space and on planets, tons of loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting.” That sentence captures the key distinction: this is an action RPG in space, not a tightly scripted military campaign.
A broader loop of exploration and combat
You move through space and planetary locations, fight outlaws, collect equipment, and use resources to develop your capabilities. Exploration is not merely scenery between missions. It is connected to the reward structure: searching locations can lead to loot or materials, and those materials feed into crafting and further progression.
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That loop suits players who want to decide what to do next. You can spend a session pursuing story objectives, clearing hostile areas, looking for better equipment, mining, or improving a build. The result is a more self-directed rhythm than the mission-to-mission pacing of Squadrons.
Progression changes the reason to revisit space
Loot and RPG elements give each improvement a practical purpose. Mining supplies materials, crafting turns resources into useful items, and equipment choices shape how your ship develops. The game therefore answers a different question from a military campaign: not “What is the next operation?” but “What can I discover, build, and make stronger?”
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Those systems are the reason to select EVERSPACE 2 when you want a long-form space-combat RPG. They also mean its story is experienced alongside exploration and character or ship development rather than delivered only through a fixed sequence of cinematic sorties.
What it does not try to be
EVERSPACE 2 does not recreate the specific chain-of-command fantasy associated with a squadron campaign. Its identity is independent exploration and action-RPG growth. If your ideal game has formal briefings, a defined military unit, and a carefully staged campaign that teaches starfighter tactics, Squadrons is the closer fit.
Likewise, do not treat its loot and crafting as evidence that it is a military simulator. They are progression tools within a fast-paced shooter. The attraction is the combination of travel, combat, discovery, and building a stronger ship over time.
Platforms and solo availability
ROCKFISH Games lists PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 for EVERSPACE 2. Its official description identifies the game as single-player, so you can approach the story and progression without depending on multiplayer matchmaking or a persistent online squad.
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- Choose it if exploration is as important as combat.
- Choose it if loot, mining, crafting, and equipment development are must-have systems.
- Choose it if you want a solo game that can support many sessions of build experimentation and discovery.
- Choose it if you prefer an action-RPG structure to a linear military narrative.
How the two games differ in the decisions that matter
Authored campaign versus open-ended structure
Squadrons gives you a deliberately paced campaign with a defined mission sequence. Each assignment exists to advance the story and reinforce the squadron setting. EVERSPACE 2 still has story progression, but its surrounding activities make the journey less tightly controlled. You can pursue exploration and upgrades alongside narrative objectives.
First-person cockpit feel versus action-RPG handling
Squadrons puts the cockpit and starfighter role at the center of play. Its appeal comes from operating a combat craft in first person. EVERSPACE 2 prioritizes the speed and flexibility of a spaceship shooter while layering on RPG systems. Both involve direct piloting, but they reward different kinds of attention: cockpit procedure and tactical flying in one, movement, combat choices, and build development in the other.
Travel and discovery
In Squadrons, travel mainly serves the mission structure. You fly because the current operation requires it. In EVERSPACE 2, space and planetary locations are destinations worth searching, with exploration tied to loot and resources. Select the latter if wandering and finding optional rewards is a core part of your ideal session.
Loot, mining, crafting, and builds
The documented feature set of EVERSPACE 2 explicitly includes loot, mining, and crafting, making it the clear choice for players who want a build-focused progression loop. Squadrons is better understood as a campaign-first flight game; it is not the recommendation for a resource-and-equipment economy.
Role-playing and military identity
The military-squadron fantasy is central to Squadrons. You are placed in an organized conflict with objectives and opposing forces. EVERSPACE 2 offers a space-faring protagonist’s progression instead, where the identity comes from the ship and the path you develop through exploration and upgrades.
Choose in three steps
- Decide what you want to repeat. If you want to repeat missions, practice starfighter handling, and follow an authored plot, select Star Wars: Squadrons. If you want to repeat exploration, combat, scavenging, and upgrades, select EVERSPACE 2.
- Decide how much structure you need. A defined campaign provides clear objectives and a predictable narrative pace. A more open action-RPG structure gives you freedom to pursue optional locations and progression activities.
- Check your platform before buying. For EVERSPACE 2, the documented platform list is PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. For Squadrons, use the official Electronic Arts storefront listings to confirm the edition and platform available in your region.
Controls and optional cockpit hardware
Both games can be approached as ordinary controller or keyboard-and-mouse games, but a HOTAS or flight-stick controller is a natural optional accessory for readers who want a more cockpit-focused setup. A stick can make the physical act of flying feel more deliberate, especially when your priority is the first-person starfighter experience in Squadrons.
Do not treat a HOTAS as a requirement established by either game’s official descriptions. Compatibility, button mapping, desk space, and retailer support depend on the specific hardware and platform. If you are buying an accessory, verify that the exact model supports your system and that the game recognizes the inputs before assuming it will provide a better experience.
Availability, release dates, and what to verify
Star Wars: Squadrons is a released title with an October 2, 2020 release date recorded by Electronic Arts and official purchase storefronts listed on its product page. The campaign is therefore something you can play now rather than a pre-release promise.
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EVERSPACE 2 is also released and is listed for the four platforms named by ROCKFISH Games. Storefront availability, regional editions, language support, and pricing can vary, so check the listing for your country and platform at the time of purchase.
Squadron 42 remains the one item in this comparison with a future schedule. The Q2 2027 target shown by Roberts Space Industries was current on October 18, 2026; it is sensible to recheck that support page before making plans around the date. The listing does not turn the quarter into a guarantee, and the alternatives above should be chosen for what they already offer rather than as promises about the unreleased game.
Buying checklist: avoid the wrong kind of substitute
Start with the feature you would miss most if it disappeared. If that feature is a briefing-led story, a named squadron, and first-person dogfights, Squadrons is the safer purchase. If it is the ability to roam, gather materials, change equipment, and return to a stronger ship, EVERSPACE 2 is the safer purchase. This simple test is more useful than choosing by the shared fact that both games contain spaceships.
Check the platform before paying. ROCKFISH Games lists EVERSPACE 2 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Electronic Arts provides storefront links for Squadrons; use the listing for your region to confirm the current edition. Prices, discounts, bundles, language options, and refund terms can change by store, so verify those details at checkout rather than relying on an old listing.
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Think about online expectations as well. Squadrons includes multiplayer, but its campaign is a separate single-player reason to play. EVERSPACE 2 is presented as single-player, so it is the more straightforward choice when you want your progression to be independent of matchmaking or an active player population.
Finally, treat cockpit hardware as an enhancement, not an entry requirement. A HOTAS or flight stick may suit a desk setup devoted to first-person flying, but the right model depends on your platform, available space, mapping options, and retailer support. Confirm compatibility for the exact game and system before adding the accessory cost.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Questions readers ask before choosing
Is either game a full replacement for Squadron 42?
No. Squadrons covers the authored military-pilot and cockpit-combat side most closely. EVERSPACE 2 covers solo exploration and RPG progression more thoroughly. Neither is evidence of what the unreleased game’s final campaign, price, platforms, or scope will be.
Which option is better for a completely solo player?
Both can be approached solo for their story-focused content. Squadrons has a distinct campaign that does not require multiplayer, while EVERSPACE 2 is explicitly described as single-player and builds its progression around solo exploration and ship development.
Which game has more to do after a story mission?
EVERSPACE 2 offers the broader set of documented side activities: exploring space and planets, fighting outlaws, collecting loot, mining, crafting, and refining a build. Squadrons is more focused on its finite mission sequence, with multiplayer as an additional mode rather than a crafting or exploration economy.
Do I need a HOTAS?
No. A controller or keyboard and mouse are valid starting points. A HOTAS or flight stick is an optional way to make a cockpit-focused setup feel more physical, particularly in Squadrons. Verify compatibility and button mapping for the exact hardware before buying.
Can I buy both without duplicating the same experience?
Yes, if you want two distinct loops. Buy Squadrons for a directed Star Wars campaign and first-person squadron combat; buy EVERSPACE 2 for open exploration, resource gathering, loot, crafting, and continuing ship progression. Their overlap is the spaceship setting, not the overall structure.
What should I check about Squadron 42’s date?
Roberts Space Industries currently lists Q2 2027, checked October 18, 2026. Because that is a future schedule, revisit the official support page for a current status and do not treat the quarter as a guarantee.
Bottom line: match the substitute to the missing feature
Star Wars: Squadrons is the closest documented substitute for a linear, military-style pilot campaign with first-person starfighter combat. EVERSPACE 2 is the better solo alternative for exploration, loot, mining, crafting, and RPG-style ship progression. Neither is a one-to-one replacement for Squadron 42; each lets you play a different part of the desired experience while the scheduled Q2 2027 window remains ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the closest game to Squadron 42 right now?
Star Wars: Squadrons is the closest match for a directed, military-style pilot campaign with first-person starfighter combat. It is a released game with a distinct single-player story and optional multiplayer modes.
Is Squadron 42 available to download?
No. Roberts Space Industries currently lists a scheduled release window of Q2 2027, checked October 18, 2026. That is a future target rather than a guaranteed launch date.
Which alternative is better for exploration and upgrades?
EVERSPACE 2 is the stronger choice. ROCKFISH Games describes it as a single-player spaceship shooter with exploration in space and on planets, loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting.
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Yes. Its authored campaign is a separate single-player mode. Multiplayer adds competitive and cooperative options but is not required to play or understand the campaign.
What platforms support EVERSPACE 2?
ROCKFISH Games lists PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Confirm the local storefront listing, edition, price, and language support before purchase.
Do these games require a flight stick or HOTAS?
No. A controller or keyboard and mouse can be used. A HOTAS or flight stick is an optional accessory for a more cockpit-focused setup; check exact platform compatibility and button mapping first.
Which game has mining and crafting?
EVERSPACE 2 explicitly includes mining and crafting, along with loot and RPG-style equipment progression. Star Wars: Squadrons is campaign-focused and is not the choice for a resource-and-equipment economy.
The Bottom Line
Choose Star Wars: Squadrons for a released, first-person military starfighter campaign. Choose EVERSPACE 2 for solo exploration, loot, mining, crafting, and ship-building progression. Recheck the official Squadron 42 schedule before planning around its Q2 2027 target.
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