Squadron 42 is still in development and is not available to play. Roberts Space Industries says the single-player campaign is “still in development, and is not yet available” in its Get Started: Checklist. The studio says owners of a pledge containing Squadron 42 will be able to download it after development is complete, the game has been tested, and it has been released; it has not established a release date in that guidance. These released games offer different ways to get into space, rather than confirmed one-to-one replacements.
Which space game should you play instead?
Choose based on the part of Squadron 42’s promise that matters most to you. No Man’s Sky is the strongest fit here for exploration and a wide-ranging sandbox; Everspace 2 is a fit for single-player action and ship combat; Elite Dangerous suits players drawn to simulation depth and open-ended space activity. The evidence available for these games does not establish that any reproduces Squadron 42’s intended mix of cinematic story, space combat, and on-foot first-person play.
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| Game | Best fit | What the available evidence supports |
|---|---|---|
| No Man’s Sky | Exploration and a broad space sandbox | Hello Games’ release log documents updates involving space stations, galactic alliances, bases, and deep-space exploration, and lists PS5 support. |
| Everspace 2 | Single-player action and ship combat | A secondary overview classifies it as a single-player action role-playing game. The evidence here does not establish a detailed comparison of its story or flight model with Squadron 42. |
| Elite Dangerous | Simulation depth and open-ended space activity | A 2026 Space.com overview highlights the game’s scale and complex flight model. It is not established here as a campaign-first substitute. |
What Squadron 42 is aiming to offer
Chris Roberts, founder and chairman of Roberts Space Industries, described his goal as “a riveting story where I was the star of my own huge space epic” in his Letter from the Chairman. That expresses the intended creative direction, not proof that another released game delivers the same experience. PC Gamer describes the planned combination as cinematic story, space combat, and on-foot first-person play, but that is secondary coverage; for availability, the clearest source is RSI’s status guidance.
No Man’s Sky: choose it for exploration
No Man’s Sky is the best match of these three if your priority is having room to roam rather than following a military campaign. Hello Games’ release log records updates spanning space-station direction, galactic alliances, bases, and deep-space exploration. Its ongoing development and breadth make it a natural choice for players seeking a broad, evolving space sandbox.
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The available evidence does not support describing it as a Squadron 42-style cinematic military campaign. Hello Games lists PS5 among the supported platforms; check the release log for the current platform and update information.
Everspace 2: choose it for single-player action
Everspace 2 is the clearest option here for someone who wants a single-player action role-playing game centered on space combat. A secondary overview classifies it that way. The evidence available does not establish detailed claims about how its story, campaign structure, or flight model compares with Squadron 42, so treat it as a genre fit rather than a like-for-like replacement.
Rank #2
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Elite Dangerous: choose it for simulation depth
Elite Dangerous is the option to consider if complex flight and open-ended activity matter more to you than a tightly directed story. A 2026 Space.com overview emphasizes the game’s scale and complex flight model. That makes it a different kind of alternative: a fit for players interested in simulation, not a campaign-first substitute.
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How closely do these games match Squadron 42?
Think of the games as alternatives by play style, not as interchangeable versions of the same campaign. The available sources support a broad comparison of their appeal, but they do not establish detailed parity across every feature:
Rank #3
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- Story and campaign: The material here does not establish detailed campaign comparisons for these alternatives. Squadron 42’s intended cinematic story is described in secondary coverage and in Roberts’ own statement of creative aim.
- Ship combat and flight complexity: Everspace 2 is supported as an action role-playing choice; Elite Dangerous is specifically associated with a complex flight model. No direct flight-model comparison with Squadron 42 is established.
- Exploration: No Man’s Sky is supported as the exploration-focused sandbox, with updates covering bases and deep-space exploration. Elite Dangerous is characterized by scale and open-ended space activity.
- On-foot play: The sources used here do not establish a reliable comparison of on-foot gameplay across all three games.
- Solo and online play: Everspace 2 is classified as single-player. The material here does not settle the solo-versus-online details for the other two games.
- Platforms: Hello Games’ release log lists PS5 for No Man’s Sky. Platform availability for the other titles is not established by the cited material, so check their current official listings before buying.
Where to check Squadron 42’s availability
RSI’s Get Started: Checklist states that Squadron 42 is still in development and not yet available. Its download guidance says that owners of a pledge containing Squadron 42 will be able to download it once development is complete, the game has been tested, and it has been released. Neither page supplies a release date.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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