Cloud Imperium Games has delayed Squadron 42, its long-in-development Star Citizen spin-off, to Q2 2027, with studio boss Chris Roberts arguing the game would be drowned out by GTA 6.

The single-player game had been targeting a 2026 release, as Cloud Imperium reaffirmed as recently as late last year. In a new blog post, however, Roberts said launching this autumn would mean going up against Rockstar’s blockbuster, something he wasn’t willing to risk for a game “that has had twelve years of blood, sweat and tears invested into it”.

“At CitizenCon 2024 we announced we would ship in 2026,” Roberts wrote (thanks, IGN).

“Our plan was to release in Q4 around IAE. But much like the rest of the industry, there is no way I want to launch my spiritual successor to Wing Commander, a game that has had twelve years of blood, sweat and tears invested into it (we started Squadron 42 development in 2014 as 2013 was opening studios, hiring people and getting the Hangar module out for Star Citizen) launching into the attention buzz saw of GTA6.

“While GTA6 isn’t launching on PC this November, pretty much all outlets and most content creators will be all over it, not leaving a lot of room for other coverage.”

Cloud Imperium plans to preview Squadron 42 to “a small number” of content creators and early backers in October, ahead of a firmer release date it says will follow “shortly” after. A Q2 window would put the game in spring 2027, assuming no further changes between now and then.

Squadron 42 has been in development for over a decade, nearly as long as Star Citizen itself, and has slipped its release date repeatedly. Its cast includes Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Henry Cavill, Andy Serkis, Ben Mendelsohn, and Mark Strong, among others.

Cloud Imperium Games’ multiplayer sci-fi sim Star Citizen topped $1 billion in crowdfunding in May.

The milestone came as the game launched a new $5000 (£3700) spaceship, the Anvil Odin capital ship, which was not even available when it went on sale as a “limited vehicle concept pledge” with no firm release date. Owners were loaned an Idris P in the meantime.