Cloud Imperium Games has opened Steam wishlists for Squadron 42, targeting a Q2 2027 release after more than a decade in development. The single-player sci-fi adventure game stars a massive Hollywood cast and runs on the studio’s proprietary StarEngine technology.
More than fourteen years after its initial announcement, Cloud Imperium Games is bringing its long-awaited single-player sci-fi adventure to Valve’s storefront. The project, is available to wishlist on Steam ahead of a planned Q2 2027 launch window.
United Empire of Earth and the 2945 Campaign Setting
Set in the year 2945, the single-player narrative drops players into a galaxy on the precipice of ruin. The United Empire of Earth faces mounting aggression from human outlaws and hostile alien factions operating from the dark reaches of space. Players enlist as a rookie recruit in the UEE Navy, starting their career aboard a massive capital ship alongside a dynamic crew.
The campaign combines intense space combat with ground-based first-person shooter missions and quieter narrative moments. Studio founder Chris Roberts co-founded the independent studio in 2012 alongside his wife, Sandi Roberts. Chris Roberts is recognized as the mind behind the nineties PC game Wing Commander.
Hollywood Ensemble Brought to Life Through Performance Capture
The production relies heavily on an extensive ensemble cast featuring recognizable film and television talent. Cloud Imperium Games used full performance capture for its ensemble. Thirteen years prior to recent announcements, the studio indicated plans to build a dedicated motion capture studio if crowdfunding surpassed ten million dollars, representing half of the initial Star Citizen budget.
The roster of performers includes Mark Hamill, Gary Oldman, Gillian Anderson, Ben Mendelsohn, Henry Cavill, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Jonathan Bailey, Mark Strong, Alix Wilton Reagan, Damson Idris, Liam Cunningham, and Jane Perry.
adventure around an impressive cast of names. It’s been a long time coming, but seeing it on Valve’s storefront makes it feel just a little bit more real.
PCGamesN
Star Citizen Crowdfunding Passes 1 Billion Dollars
The broader Star Citizen universe has drawn massive financial backing since its 2012 inception. As of May 2026, Star Citizen crowdfunding passed $1 billion, with crowdfunding earnings later sitting at 1.05 billion dollars supported by roughly 6.5 million registered backers and supporters. Development of both titles has run in parallel, sharing core systems built on Cloud Imperium Games’ proprietary StarEngine technology.
That proprietary engine allows the game to move instantly from cinematic storytelling to interactive gameplay. Cloud Imperium Games Corporation serves as both the system developer and publisher for the software.
Steam Launch Moves to Second Quarter of 2027
Moving the title to Steam offers PC players a purchasing alternative, opening access to users who never participated in the crowdsourcing campaign. Studio executives previously adjusted the launch timeline, moving out of late 2026 to avoid competing directly with the launch window of Grand Theft Auto VI, with studio founder Chris Roberts declaring the second quarter of 2027 as a better target for the debut.
Questions remain regarding whether early backers holding pre-existing accounts will receive Steam keys or if separate client launchers will be required, as official announcements have not yet clarified those distribution details.