Squadron 42 Pre Order: Prices, Packages, Platforms, and Release Date Explained

Squadron 42 pre order talk has never been louder — and never more confusing. After more than a decade in development, Cloud Imperium Games’ cinematic single-player campaign is now targeting a Q2 2027 release window, with a Steam wishlist page already live and pledge packages still on sale through the Roberts Space Industries store. The problem is that a Squadron 42 pre order doesn’t work like a normal AAA pre-order: there’s no single button, no single price, and no confirmed Steam listing price yet.

That matters because how and where you commit your money today can change what you pay, what you receive, and whether you’re buying the game twice. Here’s the full breakdown of prices, packages, platforms, and what community reports say about the safest way in.

Why Squadron 42 Pre Order Pricing Is Unusual

Squadron 42 started life as an add-on attached to Star Citizen pledge packages rather than as a standalone retail product. That legacy structure is why you’ll see the campaign bundled with starter ships, combo packages, and third-party listings at wildly different prices.

The project was announced as feature complete at CitizenCon in October 2023, then given a 2026 window at CitizenCon 2024. As of late 2026, the official target has shifted to Q2 2027, according to reporting on the Steam wishlist launch, and the game’s own social channels now simply say “Launching 2027.”

Item	Current status (as of October 2026)
Target release window	Q2 2027
Platforms	PC — RSI launcher plus a live Steam wishlist page
Steam store price	Not yet announced
RSI pledge packages	Available now, $45–$75+ range
Standalone “just the campaign” SKU	Not officially confirmed

The short version: you can secure access today, but the “official” Squadron 42 pre order price on Steam is still unknown.

Squadron 42 Pre Order Prices on the RSI Store

The most direct route is the Roberts Space Industries pledge store, where packages combine Star Citizen access with the Squadron 42 campaign. Prices below reflect listings observed in late 2026 and do change during sales events.

Package	List price	Typical sale price	Notes
Citizen Starter Pack	$60.00	$45.00	Entry-level ship plus Star Citizen and Squadron 42
Generalist Starter Pack	$60.00	—	Same tier, different starting ship
Salvager Starter Pack	$75.00	—	Higher tier aimed at industrial gameplay
Hauler Starter Pack	Check store	—	Listed alongside the $60–$75 tier

A key detail for budget planning: these are pledge packages, not a stripped-down campaign-only purchase. If you already own Star Citizen, you may already have Squadron 42 attached to your account — check your RSI hangar before spending anything.

Actionable tip: log into your RSI account and look under “My Hangar” first. Community reports regularly feature players who bought a second package only to discover Squadron 42 was already included from an earlier pledge.

Third-Party and Grey-Market Listings: Read the Fine Print

Beyond the official store, resellers and community storefronts list Squadron 42 bundles at a wide range of prices. These are not official channels, and pricing here reflects what third-party sellers are asking — not CIG’s own rate card.

Seller type	Example listing price	Risk level
Retail bundle site	Combo Package $89.99 (down from $119.99)	Moderate — verify what’s included
Community storefront	Mustang Alpha with SQ42 bundle ~$75.50	Moderate — account transfer rules apply
Grey-market marketplace	Legacy “Squadron 42 package” listings up to $699.00	High — account-linked items, no buyer protection from CIG

Those inflated grey-market prices come from players chasing original backer packages with lifetime insurance and legacy perks. For a straightforward Squadron 42 pre order, there is no reason to pay multiples of retail.

Player experience: long-time backers consistently warn that account-linked pledges bought through resale can be revoked during CIG’s fraud reviews, leaving the buyer with nothing.

Steam vs. RSI: How Your Store Choice Affects the Price

If Squadron 42 does land on Steam — and the wishlist page strongly suggests it will — the commercial math changes. Valve takes a percentage of every sale made through its platform, which means CIG nets less per copy than it does on a direct RSI sale.

Factor	RSI store	Steam
Revenue per copy	Full amount to CIG	Reduced by Valve’s platform cut
Price positioning	Pledge pricing, frequent sales	Likely standard AAA retail pricing
Regional pricing	Limited	Broad, currency-localized
Existing owners	Already in your hangar	Would require account linking (unconfirmed)
Reviews	Moderated forums and Spectrum	Public and effectively uncontrollable

That last row is the real story. On RSI, CIG controls the conversation. On Steam, the review page belongs to Valve, and anyone with a copy can post. For a game with 13 years of development history, that cuts both ways.

Price-wise, the platform cut creates pressure in one of two directions: either CIG prices Squadron 42 slightly higher on Steam to protect its margin, or it accepts a thinner cut per copy in exchange for exposure to millions of PC players who would never visit the RSI site. Based on how other studios handle simultaneous platform launches, the second option is more common for a project that needs a large new audience.

How to Pre Order Squadron 42: A Step-by-Step Checklist

1. Check your existing hangar. Confirm whether Squadron 42 is already attached to your RSI account.
2. Decide if you want Star Citizen included. Starter packages bundle both games; a standalone campaign purchase may not be offered.
3. Compare sale timing. RSI runs periodic sales events where starter packs drop to $45 — patient buyers save real money.
4. Wishlist on Steam now. A wishlist entry costs nothing and will notify you the moment a price and pre-order option appear.
5. Avoid grey-market resellers unless you fully understand account-linking transfer rules.
6. Never share account credentials with a third-party seller claiming to “deliver” a package manually.
7. Set a budget and treat any pre-order as a bet on a 2027 date that has already slipped once.

Which Squadron 42 Pre Order Option Fits You?

Player profile	Best option	Why
Brand-new player, wants both games	$45–$60 starter pack on RSI	Cheapest legitimate entry, includes Star Citizen
Star Citizen veteran	Check hangar before buying	Campaign may already be included
Wants Steam achievements and overlay	Wait for the Steam listing	Wishlist now, buy at launch
Collector chasing legacy perks	Official RSI store only	Grey-market legacy packages carry revocation risk
Budget-conscious	Wait for a sale event	Starter packs have dropped to $45

Release Timeline: When Your Pre Order Unlocks

Date	Milestone
October 2023	Announced feature complete at CitizenCon
October 2024	2026 release window announced
2026	Steam wishlist page appears; window moves to Q2 2027
Q2 2027	Current target release window

That timeline is worth staring at for a moment. Players who backed early will have waited roughly 14 years by the time the campaign arrives. Community reports suggest that history will show up in Steam reviews — some positive, some not.

What Existing Backers Should Know

If CIG follows the pattern used by games like Elite Dangerous, RSI account owners may be able to link their existing ownership to a Steam account rather than repurchasing. That would be the sensible outcome, though CIG has not confirmed it.

Until that’s confirmed, existing backers should not pre-order a second copy of the campaign. For everyone else, the cheapest reliable path remains a discounted starter pack bought directly from RSI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Squadron 42 pre order available right now? Yes — through RSI pledge packages that bundle the campaign with Star Citizen. There is no confirmed standalone Steam pre-order price yet, so if you want to lock in access today, the RSI store is the only official route.

How much will the Squadron 42 pre order cost on Steam? Unannounced. CIG has not published a Steam price, and the platform’s revenue share means it could be priced at standard AAA retail levels. Wishlisting the game is the fastest way to get notified when pricing appears.

Can I buy Squadron 42 without Star Citizen? Not clearly. Every official package observed bundles both. If a campaign-only SKU arrives at launch, it will likely be announced on the official Squadron 42 site alongside the Steam listing.

Will my existing RSI package transfer to Steam? CIG hasn’t said. Account-linking, similar to Elite Dangerous, would be the fair approach for backers who have already paid — but until it’s confirmed, don’t buy twice. Wait for an official announcement before spending money on a second copy.

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