Squad Is Coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2027, Free PS5 Alpha Runs Until October 25

Offworld Industries and publisher Secret Mode have confirmed that Squad, the 100-player tactical shooter that has been PC-only since 2015, is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The console release is planned for 2027. PS5 owners don’t have to wait that long to try it: a free alpha preview runs from October 16 to October 25.

The alpha is open to everyone, but you have to enlist on the official sign-up page first. Squad is an online multiplayer game, so each platform’s usual rules apply and you’ll need PlayStation Plus. The preview has one matchup. The Armed Forces of Ukraine fight China’s People’s Liberation Army over the rail line that runs through Gorodok.

The full console version will be much bigger. At launch it will have four modes: AAS, RAAS, Invasion and the new Fireteam PvE mode. It will also have six maps (Al Basrah, Fallujah, Mutaha, Narva, Yehorivka and Gorodok) and eight factions, including the US Army, USMC, Russian Ground Forces and British Armed Forces. PvP matches will hold up to 100 players. Fireteam is built for groups of five.

Offworld says it built a separate control scheme and interface for controllers. Copying the PC binds onto a gamepad wasn’t good enough for a game with this many commands. Console players get aim assist and a radial menu for giving orders and marking targets. Mouse and keyboard won’t be supported. Proximity voice chat, a server browser, official dedicated servers and player-hosted servers are all confirmed.

The performance targets are 4K with dynamic resolution at 60 FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and 1440p at 30 FPS on Series S. There won’t be separate quality and performance modes.

Crossplay is opt-in. PS5 and Xbox players can play together on official console servers. PC players can join them only on community servers that use the console ruleset. There’s no cross-progression, and cosmetics stay on the platform where you bought them. Owning Squad on Steam doesn’t give you a console copy. The console version will be digital-only and won’t support mods at launch.

PC players get something during the alpha too. Until October 25, anyone who owns Squad on Steam can claim the Recon Team Pack for free. It contains five woodland weapon skins for the USMC faction.

Squad entered early access in December 2015 and fully released in September 2020. Offworld hasn’t announced an exact console release date yet.