Star Wars Zero Company Studio Reportedly Furloughed Around 80% of Its Team Before Launch
Star Wars Zero Company has become one of the best received Star Wars games in years, but its successful launch has been overshadowed by serious financial problems at developer Bit Reactor. The Maryland based studio confirmed that it furloughed a significant number of employees several weeks before the game released on August 27, with one source claiming approximately 80% of the development team was affected. Another described only a small crew remaining on active payroll to handle potential bugs and post launch support. The 80% figure has not been officially confirmed by Bit Reactor.
A representative for Bit Reactor confirmed the furloughs to Game File, describing the situation as a difficult decision made before the studio knew how Star Wars Zero Company would perform commercially. Importantly, the representative stated that the decision came from Bit Reactor itself rather than publisher Electronic Arts or Star Wars owner Disney. The studio reportedly hopes to restore furloughed employees to paid positions if the game's commercial performance provides enough financial stability.
Furloughing is different from permanently laying off employees because affected workers technically remain attached to the company while temporarily going without regular work and pay. However, there is currently no guarantee that every affected developer will ultimately return. Former Bit Reactor senior technical artist Zachariah Scott said he had spoken with nearly a dozen workers who reported being furloughed around 3 weeks before launch, while some employees were reportedly uncertain whether their positions would eventually be restored.
The financial situation appears to have been severe. Game File reports that Bit Reactor had exhausted most of its available funding shortly before releasing its debut game. An August 12 court filing connected to an ongoing lawsuit involving studio cofounder Alison Kelly separately stated that Bit Reactor had "furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors." The lawsuit began in 2024 and centers on a dispute between Kelly and studio cofounder Greg Foertsch regarding ownership of Bit Reactor. Kelly is seeking more than $20 million in damages, while Foertsch disputes her ownership claims. The case is currently expected to proceed to trial in early 2027.
The situation is particularly striking because Star Wars Zero Company appears to have delivered exactly the type of debut that a new studio would normally celebrate. Electronic Arts launched the single player tactical game on August 27 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, placing players in control of Hawks and an unconventional squad operating during the final stages of the Clone Wars. Bit Reactor was founded in 2021 by developers with extensive experience in tactical games, including veterans associated with Firaxis and the XCOM series.
Critical reception has also been exceptionally strong. The PC version reached an 86 Metacritic score around launch, making it the highest rated major Star Wars game on the platform in approximately 22 years and placing it alongside Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II from 2004. Reviews have consistently praised its tactical combat, squad customization, cinematic presentation and combination of XCOM inspired strategy with the Star Wars universe.
Commercial indicators have been encouraging as well. Game File reported that Star Wars Zero Company reached the top of Steam's sales ranking shortly after launch, while subsequent Steam activity showed strong player interest compared with several previous Star Wars releases. The game has also received broad platform support, including GeForce NOW availability, giving PC players another way to access the tactical RPG through cloud gaming.
That success creates an unusual situation for Bit Reactor. The studio has demonstrated that it can deliver a critically acclaimed licensed AAA game, but much of the team responsible for creating it is currently outside active production. Whether Star Wars Zero Company's launch generates enough revenue to bring those developers back will now become almost as important to the studio's future as the game's reviews and sales.
Star Wars Zero Company is another uncomfortable example of how creating a successful game does not necessarily guarantee stability for the people who built it. Bit Reactor appears to have reached launch with its finances already under severe pressure, meaning the game's strong reception arrived after management had already made the decision to furlough much of the studio.
The encouraging part is that Zero Company could give Bit Reactor a path forward. An 86 Metacritic score, strong Steam performance and positive community reception give the studio considerably more leverage than it had before launch. The priority now should be rebuilding the team that delivered that success rather than allowing one of 2026's strongest new Star Wars games to become the final project for much of its development staff.
Should the strong launch of Star Wars Zero Company be enough to bring Bit Reactor's furloughed developers back, and would you like to see the studio continue building tactical Star Wars games?
