Squadron 42 - At Least 2 Years Away

[Redglyph]

Wccf Tech reports that CIG has relocated to UK and has given hints at a timeline for Squadron 42.

Squadron 42 Likely At Least a Couple Years Away Admits CIG, Sequels Already in the Plans

Will Star Citizen's long-promised and much-delayed single-player campaign Squadron 42 ever actually come to fruition? That remains to be seen, but in the latest issue of MCV/Develop, Cloud Imperium Games actually put something resembling a timeline on the project, rather than issuing their usual "it'll be done when it's done" dismissal.

As we recently learned, Cloud Imperium Games has relocated their headquarters to Manchester and plan to expand their staff to over 1000 employees over the next five years. As part of that, Cloud Imperium head honcho Chris Roberts has re-established himself in the UK (he'd been living in LA) and is spending more time with the Squadron 42 team, which company COO Carl Jones hopes will result in Squadron 42 actually being finished.

"I guess we'll see how long [Roberts] needs to be over [in the UK]. But yeah, it could be one or two years more. He's spending more time over here with the Squadron 42 team and with our other developers, but it'll be this year when he moves over for longer periods of time. Hopefully, that means we can progress Squadron 42 through to completion faster. We want to get that game finished, but it will be finished when it's ready."

I suppose you could see that as an optimistic statement, but it sounds like the game won't arrive for a couple more years at least. But hey, Cloud Imperium needs to get Squadron 42 finished, because according to Jones, they plan to develop "sequels" to the game once the new studio is fully up to speed.

As for when Star Citizen will finally exit alpha and get something resembling a full release, Jones is more sketchy. The reality is, the question is somewhat arbitrary - CIG will just keep updating Star Citizen and selling expensive ships to their diehard fans, and whether the game's in alpha, beta, or full release probably won't make much difference. Jones does say that in five years, when the Manchester studio is operating at full capacity, they plan to be running a "very large MMORPG" and that new studios in more locations around the world will likely be required. As baffling as it may be to some outsiders, the Star Citizen experiment will continue to barrel ahead, unabated.

More information.

 

[JDR13]

But hey, Cloud Imperium needs to get Squadron 42 finished, because according to Jones, they plan to develop "sequels" to the game once the new studio is fully up to speed.

Yeah… ok.

 

[Redglyph]

Maybe someone finally told them how it worked.

 

[Carnifex]

There's a zero missing in that guestimate, and it wouldn't come before the two. And that's the optimist in me musing, btw.

 

[Couchpotato]

Yeah pardon the term when pigs fly. As the studio has had over five years already to finish Squadron 42. Maybe finish the first game before talking about possible sequels.

I can already predict the crowdfunding for more money from idiots once again.

 

[khaight]

This isn't a game, it's a lifestyle.

 

[Morrandir]

Maybe someone finally told them how it worked.

I guess that won't be enough. They won't release anything as long as the cash keeps coming.

 

[Moriendor]

As the studio has had over five years already to finish Squadron 42.

They've had at least eight years since the Manchester studio (Foundry 42) tasked specifically with the development of Squadron 42 and headed by Erin Roberts was established in 2013.
The original "vision" of Roberts as per 2011/2012 was a Squadron 42 release in late 2014.
Then the "vision"… umm… "shifted" with every additional one million dollars that was raised after the crowdfunding campaign in 2012.

In 2015 they released this pretentious Squadron 42 teaser with a big, fat "2016" at the end, pretending that the game would be finished next year.
They always dangled the carrot in people's faces so they would pledge more, thinking they'd soon be getting the carrot.

In 2015, Roberts must have known exactly that 2016 was not realistic or he is the most incompetent project director of all time.
So, he's either dishonest as f*** or incompetent as f***. Or both (which is my impression since a few years).

As a small consolation, all of this is certainly a huge embarrassment for CIG, too. They hired all that Hollywood talent for naught. While I doubt that Oldman or Hamill are overly interested in video games, I'm sure that they (or their management) aren't too happy that their work has not been published as promised to this date. They must also know by now that the project has been extremely poorly managed and that Roberts is a windbag.

With regard to sequels, this also brings up the interesting question: Will actors like Oldman or Hamill even be alive or physically able to perform for a sequel? That seems more and more doubtful as the years go by. Oh well, maybe AI will be advanced enough then to deepfake their respective (younger) appearances .

Finally, Roberts already talked about sequels all the way back in 2012/2013 during the campaign. He said that his full vision for Star Citizen and Squadron 42 is a project worth about $23 million and that excess money beyond that would be put to use for the development of expansions and sequels.
He specifically talked about Squadron 43 as a full-fledged sequel in that regard and also of a "Behind Enemy Lines" expansion which was already on the plate back then (IF that ever comes out, it'll be free for every person -still alive- who pledged before the $6 million stretch goal).

 

[Kos]

Chris Roberts is to project management what Attila was to responsible agriculture and esthetical landscaping.
He killed the lucrative Wing Commander franchise singlehandedly (called Squadron by the way during development) by over producing and starring Hamill in FMVs no one cared or had asked for.
He had to accept Microsoft in the Freelancer project because he was nearly 2 years late and had burned all the money.
And his last projects also feature Hamill, huge lateness, and money being burned publicly as fast as he can without being sued for pollution.
Luckily for him, Internet is here now with its massive supply of creatures with more money than common sense.

And guys how much time before this guy comes with an idea around ship sales and NFT?

 

[boobaloo]

I gave them money, but stopped following the game several (a lot) years ago, and never tryied anything they made available. Hope my game key dont get rust before Squadron 42 gets released. I think I will play freespace 3 (I wish) before this one get out .

 

[Carnifex]

Yep I was a damned fool and gave them money as well, to my eternal regret. It's one of those kick starter purchases that irks me any time I give any rational though about it, so I attempt not to. Usually without success.

 

[Redglyph]

Same here, not much thankfully. Apparently I should have access to Squadron 42, we'll see if/when it's released.

 

[Carnifex]

Aye, and I'm looking forward to it just about as anxiously as I did Shroud of the Avatar. Which I've yet to install, let alone play. -)

 

[Morrandir]

Aye, and I'm looking forward to it just about as anxiously as I did Shroud of the Avatar. Which I've yet to install, let alone play. -)

Ha, I (again) forgot about this one. Need to check Steam forums again to witness the clusterfuck. Still happy that I noticed the bad smell of the campaign and didn't pledge a single cent.

 

[SirJames]

I hear the reason Squadron 42 isn't ready yet is because they're still working on the "core tech" for it.

 

[Carnifex]

As amusing as all this is, I still to this day get emails telling me Shroud has been updated yet again. It gets a wry chuckle out of me each and every time.

 

[redman5427]

I really expected Dart back for this thread

 

[Dolby]

hmm nothing new... i guess at this point i just want to see how long it will take hehehe...