Star Wars Squadrons is getting two massive updates, starting next week

EA have announced that Star Wars Squadrons is set to get two massive updates, one next week and the other in December, to thank players for the support of the game.

The first update, coming next week will bring the game up to 3.0 and alongside the usual fixes, balancing and tuning changes, a new map will be joining the fray, Fostar Haven.

Set in a remote, lawless area of space under the light of twin stars, this map has been updated from its story mode counterpart to provide a new experience that should fit well with the other six maps. In the Prologue of Squadrons, which is set at the height of the Galactic Civil War, Fostar Haven was an isolated trading station that welcomed smugglers and pirates. Helix Squadron was sent there to search the cargo docks for Alderaanian refugees.

Now, four years later, the denizens of Fostar Haven have made a few upgrades to their station, trusting neither the Empire nor the New Republic. You'll have the chance to weave through the crowded dockyards or take the fight to open space.

In addition, each of the ships will get new components that they can use to upgrade even further, here is the official description of the upgrades, direct from EA.

For Fighters and Bombers, you’ll be able to use the Boost Extension Kit, a component that, when used, gives your starfighter a full boost. It’ll then recharge over time and can be used again. This will help these starfighters be able to change the pace of the battle in a new way, such as by giving them the ability to change the tide of dogfights or to get out of engagements with flagships if used wisely.

Next, we’re giving Interceptors and Fighters a way to provide more assistance against capital ships and flagships (or, with a steady hand, against starfighters, too). They’ll be getting the Ion Rockets, not unlike the Barrage Rockets they currently have. These will be great for hit-and-run attacks to strip enemy shields. These rockets move at half the speed of standard rockets, but they can be used at the same time as other components, including their non-ion counterparts. Time them well for the best results.

Bombers and Fighters (the latter with half the ammo count) will also be receiving the Prototype Piercing Torpedoes, providing these two ships with a new tactic for taking on capital ships. Though these torpedoes do less overall damage than others of their class, they have the ability to bypass capital ship and flagship shields, making them very well-suited for striking enemy flagship subsystems before shields have been taken down.

And of course, we couldn’t forget the U-wing and TIE reaper. They’ll be getting a new way to support their allies when taking on enemy capital ships and flagships with the Anti-Material Rocket Turret. Though this turret doesn’t target enemy starfighters, it’s very well poised to take on flagship subsystems, capital ships, and even turrets and other deployables from enemy support ships.

As for the planned December update, it will also deliver fixes, changes and balances, but those will be detailed when the update is released. The major new addition though is that both sides will get a new ship each, check it out.

Designed as the “Blade Wing” prototype by Mon Calamari engineer Quarrie and finely tuned under General Hera Syndulla’s guidance, the A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter makes its way into the New Republic’s fleet in this update.

Naturally, there’s a fitting counterpart for it going to the opposing faction, too. From the mind of the brilliant military tactician Grand Admiral Thrawn and Sienar Fleet Systems, the TIE/d “Defender” multi-role starfighter will join the Imperial Navy as well.

Finally, the December update will add a highly requested item, Custom Matches, again the full breakdown from EA

Custom matches will allow one to five players per side across two teams to play on any of the (now) seven maps in both Dogfight and Fleet Battles. There will also be some additional restrictions and modifiers that you can change. These include things like hull/shield/damage modifiers, changing capital ship health, restricting certain starfighters, and other tools to help you change how you play. With this, there will also be a custom matches server browser for you to search through private matches made by your friends as well as public ones made by strangers.

As for any updates into 2021 and beyond, that is unknown at this point, but for now, there is plenty to look forward to for the rest of the year.