5 Years Since Star Wars: Squadrons Gameplay Was Unveiled — Let’s Talk Cockpit Nostalgia

gingetattoo Star Wars: Squadrons

Five years ago today—June 18, 2020—Star Wars: Squadrons gameplay was officially revealed to the galaxy. And for a moment, every flight sim junkie, X-Wing enthusiast, and keyboard ace with a joystick in storage collectively lost their minds.

It wasn’t just nostalgia. It was rebellion with a targeting computer, chaos in full 5v5 glory, and cockpits so detailed you could practically smell the Y-Wing fuel cells.

The Reveal That Rocked the Holo-Net

The gameplay premiere showed us more than just ships blasting each other to bits. It gave us:

  • First-person-only cockpit immersion,
  • Strategic 5v5 multiplayer dogfights,
  • And full cross-platform + VR support from day one.

In short: it wasn’t Battlefront. It was a laser-focused experience for players who always wanted to pilot their own TIE Fighter without the arcade noise. It was X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter reborn for the modern age—minus the 90s pixel blur.

A New Kind of Star Wars Combat

While most Star Wars titles rely on saber duels or blaster spam, Squadrons aimed at something more technical and tactical:

  • Power management (engines, shields, lasers—choose your priority),
  • Ship roles and loadouts tailored for teamwork,
  • And a surprisingly tight flight model that made turn fights feel like sabacc showdowns in space.

It wasn’t just about dogfighting—it was about out-thinking your opponent at 900 kph.

How the Reveal Impacted the Community (and the Meta)

The reveal immediately got traction in esports-adjacent spaces, with pros and streamers testing how deep the meta could go. Tournaments were pitched. Squads were formed. Someone definitely tried to wager credits on a VR ace’s K/D ratio.

For the gambling crowd, Squadrons had the allure of unpredictability. Unlike ranked ladders in other games, one wrong boost or failed drift turn could flip the round—making for some spicy match odds and tense high-stakes speculation in underground Discords.

Five Years Later: What Did Squadrons Leave Behind?

While Star Wars: Squadrons didn’t get the DLC treatment fans hoped for, it still left a solid vapor trail. Today, it lives on as:

  • A cult-favorite for space sim purists,
  • A hidden gem in the Star Wars gaming lineup,
  • And one of the few games to give real love to B-Wings, U-Wings, and obscure Empire ship types.

It also reminded developers and players alike that Star Wars doesn’t always need a Skywalker. Sometimes, all it takes is a cockpit, a wingman, and a well-timed proton torpedo.

Conclusion: Locked S-Foils, Engaged Memories

The Star Wars: Squadrons gameplay reveal wasn’t just a look at a game—it was a full-throttle signal that EA Motive knew what the community wanted: speed, skill, and space superiority with a side of fan-service cockpit design.

Five years later, it still holds up as a moment when Star Wars gaming decided to steer into precision and simulation over spectacle. And for those who were there? The sound of those TIE engines screaming through your headphones? Still unmatched.