A Star Wars: Squadrons B-Wing and TIE Defender will be arriving as part of a new free content update in a surprising and welcome reversal of Motive's plans to continue developing the game.
Star Wars: Squadrons was one of the more surprising new games announced in 2020 and it appears that it's proven even more popular than either Electronic Arts or Motive expected. The developers had wanted to make this a one-and-done game: give players everything in a "nice, neat package" and not worry about making any additional updates for major post-launch content.
Now, Motive has announced that it's reversing its decision, owing to an "outpouring of support" shown from the community. There's a clear demand from players for more content, and Motive is all too happy to deliver.
What's Coming in the Next Star Wars: Squadrons Update?
The next Star Wars: Squadrons Update will arrive sometime this month. Central to this update is the map Fostar Haven (seen in our header image) being added to multiplayer for Fleet Battles and Dogfight Mode.
Additionally, four new components are coming to the game:
- Boost Extension Kit – Gives a fighter a full boost when used.
- Ion Rockets – Rockets that move at half the speed of standard rockets but can be used as the same time as other components.
- Piercing Torpedoes – Torpedoes which do less overall damage but can bypass capital ship and flagship shields.
- Anti-Material Rocket Turret – A turret specifically designed to target flagship subsystems, capital ships, and deployables and turrets from enemy support ships.
No release date has been announced for the Star Wars: Squadrons November 2020 update; it will be announced at a later date along with more detailed patch notes.
When Does the Star Wars: Squadrons B-Wing and TIE Defender Launch?
The Star Wars: Squadrons B-Wing and TIE Defender are an even bigger surprise and both of these new ships will arrive in a second surprise update in December 2020.
[We] couldn’t help but start working on something a little extra.
The B-Wing is an odd-looking bomber for the New Republic which will also get a cosmetic variant based on its appearance in Episode VI. On the Galactic Empire Side, the new TIE Defender fighter will give the Dark Side another option for high-speed combat. The B-Wing will have its iconic rotating cockpit and the TIE Defender will have energy shields as seen in other games; both ships will also have unspecified unique components.
Finally, the December update will allow players to create custom matches. These will allow 2–10 players (evenly split between two teams) to play on any of the game's seven maps in Dogfight and Fleet Battles with the option to set certain restrictions or add modifiers like damage, capital ship health, and others.
The addition of these new goodies will give players even more content to enjoy in a game that launched below the standard $59.99 price point of the day. If you haven't jumped in just yet, you can buy Star Wars: Squadrons via its official website starting at $39.99 or your regional equivalent.
What do you think of the Star Wars: Squadrons B-Wing and TIE Defender? Do you think you'll use either ship or are the existing options better? Let us know in the comments below!
