Star Wars: Galactic Contention is the Battlefront sequel we always wanted

Nearly a decade after the controversial launch of Star Wars Battlefront 2, we're nowhere closer to getting a new entry in the series, despite the growing demand for an official return to the beloved sci-fi shooter. Even though fans have been keeping the spirit of Battlefront 2 alive on PC through the use of modding tools and community projects like Kyber, it's still far from the third entry in the rebooted Battlefront series we've been waiting for.

Thankfully, even though we may never see the official release of Battlefront 3 for quite some time, numerous Star Wars-themed projects in development offer the next best thing, with a recent overhaul of one of the most popular games in the fandom being the perfect spiritual successor to Battlefront's legacy.

While the project had been largely unplayable since 2025, the Galactic Contention Star Wars Mod for Squad has just recently shared an Unreal Engine 5 reveal trailer to its official Galactic Contention YouTube channel. This heralds the official return and version 9.0 of the project, which will become playable for fans everywhere on July 31, 2026.

While you might have seen footage or heard the praise behind the Galactic Contention project, the total-conversion mod for the tactical FPS Squad was rendered all but unplayable after the game swapped from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5. Thankfully, the absolutely massive modding project is finally returning and brings with it numerous new features and gameplay systems that have been built entirely from the ground up for the long-awaited update.

Bringing the total conversion mod for the project to a whopping 45 GB, players will be able to enjoy over 20 maps, 150 custom units, and a plethora of entirely customized vehicles, animations, effects, and gameplay systems to make it feel like an entirely new game.

While Galactic Contention still uses Squad as a framework for the experience, the new update pushes it even further past the bounds of what a traditional conversion mod could offer. This is all while taking place in one of the most beloved Star Wars eras with the Clone Wars, which has been one of the most requested settings to return to in future Battlefrontgames.

Capturing the same level of intensity and chaos that made the Battlefront games so beloved, combined with the more in-depth gameplay mechanics offered by Squad's tactical simulator gameplay, feels like a natural evolution for the Battlefront formula. More details about the new features arriving alongside the gorgeous Unreal Engine 5 update remain to be announced closer to release.

Although it might not have the same level of accessibility or polish as an officially licensed sequel to Battlefront 2, projects like the Battlefront 2 Kyber platform and the Galactic Contention total-conversion mod for Squad offer the best of both worlds for fans and keep the series' legacy alive. It's all quiet on the official Star Wars Battlefront 2 front, but the series still has plenty of untapped potential for Star Wars-themed shooters in the future.