Squadron 42 Trailer: Every Official Video So Far

Squadron 42's trailers are the primary way Cloud Imperium Games has shown the campaign to the world — and because the game has been in development for over a decade, the trailers form a record of how the game has evolved. This page covers every official trailer and gameplay video, what each one shows, and what they collectively confirm about the game's story, cast and combat.

The Cinematic Trailers

CIG has released several full cinematic trailers for Squadron 42, each built from in-engine footage using the game's performance-captured cast. These trailers are the clearest window into the campaign's story: they show the Battle of Vega II, the Bengal carrier and its battlegroup, the player's transition from turret gunner to fighter pilot, and the cast in action — Gary Oldman's Admiral Bishop delivering his battle address, Mark Hamill's Steve Colton briefing the player, Gillian Anderson's Captain MacLaren commanding the UEES Gauntlet. The production values are the pitch: this is a game built to film standards, with every scene captured rather than animated.

The Gameplay Showcases

Alongside the cinematic trailers, CIG has released gameplay-focused videos showing the systems underneath the story. These include demonstrations of the flight model — six-degrees-of-freedom Newtonian-based flight in coupled and decoupled modes — first-person combat aboard ships and stations, and the AI systems that drive both human crews and Vanduul enemies. The 2023 combat AI showcase, which showed new systems switched on across the entire game, was one of the most significant of these updates, marking the milestone CIG cited when it declared the game feature-complete.

What the Trailers Confirm

Across all the official videos, the same picture emerges:

• The campaign is a cinematic, story-driven single-player experience set in 2945 during the Vanduul War
• The player starts as a turret gunner aboard the destroyer UEES Gauntlet and becomes a fighter pilot
• The cast — Oldman, Hamill, Anderson, Cavill, Strong, Serkis and more — performs every scene with full capture
• Space combat, first-person combat, boarding actions and capital-ship warfare are all part of the game
• The ships confirmed include the Bengal carrier, the Idris frigate, the Javelin destroyer, the F8 Lightning fighter and the Vanduul fleet

Where to Watch

All official trailers and development videos are on the Squadron 42 YouTube channel (@Squadron42), and they are embedded alongside the game's Steam page and RSI store listing. This site's trailer pages link to the official videos rather than rehosting them, so what you watch is always the latest version CIG has published.

A Note on Trailer Trust

CIG's trailers have earned unusual credibility for one reason: the studio has consistently shown in-engine footage rather than target renders, and the CitizenCon 2954 demo proved the trailers' content runs as live gameplay. That does not mean every trailer shot appears exactly as shown in the final game — scenes are edited, cut and polished like any film — but it means the technology, assets and cast are real. For a game with this development history, that distinction matters, and it is why the trailer record is worth studying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Squadron 42 gameplay trailer?

Yes. CIG has released gameplay-focused videos alongside the cinematic trailers, showing flight, combat and AI systems.

Are the trailers real gameplay?

The cinematic trailers are built from in-engine footage with the performance-captured cast. CIG has been explicit that the trailer content represents the game's actual technology and assets.

Where can I watch the trailers?

On the official Squadron 42 YouTube channel, and on the game's Steam page.