Squad, developed by Offworld, has landed a major technical upgrade in its 9.0 update and is free to play on Steam through Monday September 15. That timing matters because the engine moves, and accompanying changes could change how the large-scale firefights feel for new and returning players.
The 9.0 release moves the game to Unreal Engine 5.5 – Offworld adopted Chaos Physics and Metasounds to alter physics and audio systems, and it added a new lighting pipeline that the update describes as one that “lays the foundation for expanded lighting and weather features in the future.” The developer is using a remade Al-Basrah map to showcase the engine upgrade, featuring larger sightlines and denser detail than before.
On the gameplay side, Offworld added a commendation system meant to reward helpful players and make reliable teammates easier to spot. The patch also includes faction and firearm adjustments, vehicle performance tweaks, changes to skirmish mode, new weapon skin packs and emotes, as well as a long list of bug fixes and performance improvements. A trailer and highlights for the update are available for viewing below. The game is free until Monday, September 15, and is on sale for 60% off, bringing the price to $19.99 USD / £15.99; pick up Squad on Steam if the weekend convinces you to keep playing.
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