Star Wars Squadrons: gameplay trailer, ship types, game modes, fleet battles, single-player, release date and more

Undoubtedly the highlight of EA's Play Live event was the first proper look at Star Wars: Squadrons, a game that few would have been asking for a couple of weeks ago, but after a teaser and the gameplay footage released today is surely on the top of many's must-buy list.

We got quite a lot of info on Star Wars: Squadrons which promises to the "definitive Star Wars pilot experience" including a look at the way the ships will handle and the classes available to players.  the single-player campaign, multiplayer modes, a release date and even the price at launch.

Flight model and ship classes in Star Wars: Squadrons

Star Wars: Squadrons will is a first-person dogfighting game and from the footage seen and from what he heard from Ian Frasier, developer Motive's creative director, it promises to be a game that is easy to pick up and hard to master. 

(Picture: Motive)

Ian spoke of "diverting energy from your lasers to your engines" and "shifting your shields from the front to the back" to give you added protection during a dogfight suggesting that ship management will be vital to securing inter-galactic victory.

The cockpit is also functional with graphical displays feeding you information about your ships status from shields, power management and sensors, and those lucky enough to play in VR set for an absolute treat.

(Picture: Motive)
 

The flight model will allow players to pick up and play while allowing them to develop more advanced flight manoeuvres. "At the higher level of skill, you can do really crazy stuff - boost your engines, fly ahead, while around 180 and shoot a missile off your own tail while drifting backwards. Real ace pilot stuff," explained Frazier.

There will be eight ships at launch, with four distinct classes.

Fighters: A versatile all-rounder that can dogfight as well as do some heavy-hitting.

(Picture: Motive)
 

Interceptors: "Fast and highly manoeuvrable" able to duck and weave, taking down bigger opponents before hightailing it out of there.

(Picture: Motive)
 

Supports: Replenish friendly ships ammo and keep them safe in these life-savers.

(Picture: Motive)
 

Bombers: Does what it says on the tin. Bombs things, big things.

(Picture: Motive)

Ship customisation & microtransactions

(Picture: Motive)

Players will be able to fully customise their ships in a variety of ways including changing the colour, adding cosmetic items like bobbleheads to the dash in your cockpit, you can also change completely customise the race and look of your pilot.

(Picture: Motive)

Ships are customisable as well with over 50 different aspects to be tweaked and upgraded to alter how your ship "flies, fights and survives". You will be able to change the loadout, shield configuration and much more in an attempt to gain the upper hand on your opponent.

(Picture: Motive)
 

It has also been announced that the game will have no microtransactions or loot boxes, with the game not seeing itself as a live service. Ian Frazier was quoted on this in a recent Game Informer interview where he said: "This isn't something we are building around a live-service strategy. It's built around a game that is complete and great in its own right."
 

5v5 Fleet Battles

(Picture: Motive)

The "signature mode" of the game - Fleet Battles will see teams of five battle it out to destroy the others fleet. These "multi-stage conflicts" will start with your team gathering in the social hub to strategize, you will then be tasked with gaining supremacy in a dogfight, before either attacking or defending a capital ship. The battle will culminate in an attack or defence of a capital ship, with teams needing to properly plan an execute to hit the ships weak spots.

(Picture: Motive)

"Dual perspective" single-player campaign

(Picture: Motive)

The single-player campaign that takes place after Return of the Jedi, will you see play as Case Kassandora, an Imperial pilot and on the rebel side, Rao Highmoon.

(Picture: Motive)
 

Players will swap back and forth between the two pilots, meet new and familiar faces in the Star Wars universe, hop into a multitude of ships and have a part in "shaping the balance of power in the galaxy".

It also appears that players will have to complete the single-player campaign before being let loose on the multiplayer so at the very least you will be queueing with players with a decent knowledge of the game and its mechanics.

When is Star Wars: Squadrons release date and cost? 

Players excited to get their hands on Squadrons won't have to wait long, with the release date announced to be 2nd, October 2020. The games price has also been announced and is set to be $39.99, how this translates internationally is not yet known. It will be coming out on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC with cross-play confirmed out of the box.