Star Citizen Sets 2026 Squadron 42 and 2027-2028 1.0 Launch Window

Star Citizen’s long-running development cycle advanced into sharper public view this week as Cloud Imperium Games set new target windows for its projects and defended its unconventional funding model. The studio’s singleplayer spinoff Squadron 42 is now slated for release in 2026, while the full Star Citizen 1.0 commercial launch is being targeted for 2027 or 2028. Those timelines were presented alongside renewed reminders of the project’s extraordinary crowdfunding haul and the studio’s stated intention to avoid direct competition with the expected blockbuster release of Grand Theft Auto 6.

Chris Roberts, the creator of Star Citizen and cofounder of Cloud Imperium Games, framed Squadron 42’s launch as a major event. "We are hoping it will be almost as big an event as Grand Theft Auto 6," he said, adding that apart from GTA 6, Squadron 42 is probably one of the highest budget AA A games in development. Roberts also reiterated the studio’s defense of its crowdfunding approach, saying that players who have funded the project expect the best experience and that the studio’s independence from traditional publisher pressure allows it to prioritize quality.