He noted that the story won’t have a “chosen one”-styled narrative. Rather, it will focus on the team of operators that serve as its protagonists. Because of this, Star Wars Zero Company is “not a personal fantasy game.”

“This is a game about a team, a team of operators who come from all over, and it’s not a personal fantasy game,” Contreras said. “Hawks isn’t the lone chosen one who’s going to step out and do all the things with the swing of their mighty, mighty saber or whatnot. Hawks is a leader, negotiator, has to be cunning, strategic.”

​”It’s a tactical strategy fantasy. So it had to be about how you manage and lead this team, and how you deal with these different personalities and their strengths and weaknesses.”

​There is also going to be plenty of moral ambiguity in Star Wars Zero Company, despite the setting as a whole leaning quite hard on the polar opposite philosophies presented by the Light and Dark sides of the Force. Its setting—the Clone Wars era—has also played a key role in this, since war often tends to blur the lines between what could be considered good or evil.

​”We know the way that these ideologies will shake out,” he said. “The dust will settle into an era of Rebels and Empire, of very light and dark, good and evil. But things aren’t so clear during the Clone Wars era, and that makes for a really interesting opportunity.”

Players will have to truly step into the shoes of the leader, especially when it’s time to deal with interpersonal conflicts between team members, thanks to conflicting worldviews. It’s “part of the fantasy of being a leader,” said Contreras, who noted that the bond system also plays a role in this.​

“You’re gonna have people with really strong opinions about some questions, and you can’t make everybody happy. So finding that as a feature was really key for us as a way to force setbacks in otherwise-upward movement in the bond system.”

​Earlier this week, studio founder Greg Foertsch spoke about thanking Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm for “taking a chance” on the studio and its project. While he acknowledged that the two companies could have stuck with a “safe” and iterative game, they instead gave Bit Reactor a shot, despite tactics games being relatively niche in the grand scheme of things.

“Looking at some of the things going on in the industry, it’s very derivative. Art is always that way. Games are no different. But I think, looking at the boldness with which both Respawn and Lucasfilm looked at us,” said Foertsch.

You’ve got these two giants taking a chance on someone like us, having the vision and the courage and the conviction to risk that on a brand-new studio.”

​“The faith in us to do something new, to do something outside of their norms. For both places, turn-based tactics isn’t something that they’ve done.”

​Star Wars Zero Company is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S later this year.

Foertsch said that many major releases in the industry tend to be quite derivative. However, he is thankful for giant companies like Respawn and Lucasfilm for taking a chance on Star Wars Zero Company.

“Looking at some of the things going on in the industry, it’s very derivative. Art is always that way. Games are no different. But I think, looking at the boldness with which both Respawn and Lucasfilm looked at us,” said Foertsch. “You’ve got these two giants taking a chance on someone like us, having the vision and the courage and the conviction to risk that on a brand-new studio.”

“The faith in us to do something new, to do something outside of their norms. For both places, turn-based tactics isn’t something that they’ve done.”

He went on to note how easy it would have been for both companies to simply “follow form” and imitate other popular moves in the industry, since that would have likely guaranteed more sales for the game.

“But here you’ve got these two companies that just had the courage and the conviction to believe in trying something different and giving their audience something new,” he said. “I think that’s worth mentioning. It’s just not common anymore. And man, I can’t say enough about the support we’ve received from both of those companies.”

Just last month, Foertsch had also spoken about how a random phone call from Vince Zampella led to him pitching the entirety of the project on the spot, to which Zampella only asked if it could be possible to make it a Star Wars game.

“I’d left Firaxis after about 22 years of working there and making strategy games my whole career,” said Foertsch. “I knew I wanted to stay in the strategy, the tactics space?. I’m sitting in my office with the lights out and my computer on, my wife’s asleep, my kids are asleep, and the phone rings,” he continued. “It’s this number that I don’t recognize. For some reason, I answered it, and the voice on the other end said, ‘Hey, Greg, this is Vince Zampella. I heard you have a game you want to make. Can you tell me about it?’”

Unveiled back in April 2025, Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactics game coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S later this year. The story will be set between the events of Episode 2: Attack of the Clones and Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, and will likely give players a new look at the battles that have already been covered at length in other Star Wars media.

Foertsch has also spoken about the grittier atmosphere of Star Wars Zero Company that was inspired by Rogue One and The Clone Wars.

“I’d left Firaxis after about 22 years of working there and making strategy games my whole career,” said Foertsch. “I knew I wanted to stay in the strategy, the tactics space⁠. I’m sitting in my office with the lights out and my computer on, my wife’s asleep, my kids are asleep, and the phone rings,” he continued. “It’s this number that I don’t recognize. For some reason, I answered it, and the voice on the other end said, ‘Hey, Greg, this is Vince Zampella. I heard you have a game you want to make. Can you tell me about it?'”

The phone call would lead to Foertsch describing a brand new tactical strategy game. Zampella asked him if it could be based in the Star Wars universe. “And I said, ‘Sure, different game, but yeah, absolutely.’ Meanwhile, I’m thinking, ‘This is insane, right? Like, this is crazy. It’s Star Wars.’ And so I said, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’ And Vince was just like, ‘Pitch me.'”

Star Wars Zero Company was officially unveiled in April 2025, shortly after a series of leaks revealed images and its official title. The turn-based tactics game is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2026, and is set between the events of Episode 2: Attack of the Clones and Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, and will likely involve small-scale skirmishes happening amidst the war between the Republic Army and the Trade Federation.

Shortly after the unveiling, Foertsch had spoken about how Star Wars Zero Company will feature a grittier atmosphere, bringing up Rogue One and Clone Wars as the key points of comparison.

“The Clone Wars offers us a lot of the tools we need mechanically for the game, which is great,” explained Foertsch. “But it’s also interesting, we haven’t seen that kind of zoom level in the Clone Wars, and so it’s a pretty unique spot to land that also offered a lot of great options for us from a game design perspective, to tell a really great story with some great mechanics added to it. That really opened the door for us to do a lot of things.”

He was joined by creative executive Kelsey Sharpe, discussing the nature of the Clone Wars story, which allowed for optimistic themes while still maintaining the grounded atmosphere of the war.

However, it goes deeper than that. “The gameplay is what it is about. But depth doesn’t cost you elegance. You can absolutely have [graphics and storytelling], and not to mention, this genre in particular, you should have those things.”

“We pick our battles,” added animation lead Hector Antunez. “The heart of the game is in the tactical combat. But we really wanted to add an element that allowed players to spend even more time in the Star Wars environments and not have those spaces be limited by what would make for fun combat.”

While XCOM featured a home base (or ship) where players could commission research, train their squad members, and choose which mission to embark on next, Star Wars Zero Company goes even further. Its characters are full-fledged companions with their own backstories and grievances (oftentimes with each other). Lead designer Grayson Scantlebury also confesses to “poring through books or going on Wookieepedia” to see which planets made sense “during the Clone Wars era that I could tell that story.”

“Or vice versa: I’m just browsing through and going, ‘Well, what happened on Bespin at this time, or Lothal at this time?'”

That said, your companions aren’t indestructible. Permadeath is very much a thing, and while it presented a challenge, narrative lead Aaron Contreras is glad to have it. “About 13 months ago, I lost an argument about permadeath, and it was good that I did; it was the right decision for the game.”

Foerstch believes it feeds into a major aspect of Star Wars: Loss. “I mean, four years old, watching Obi-Wan Kenobi die, right? It’s about loss, and then also, as a developer, wanting people not to save scum, but to push through the loss, to what’s on the other side of the experience, to feel it.” It’s certainly a feeling which should resonate with contemporary fans as well, especially after TV shows like Andor.

Star Wars Zero Company doesn’t have a release date, but it’s launching later this year for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Head here to learn more about its character customization and other gameplay features.

Bringing up The Clone Wars in particular, Foertsch spoke about how we got to see a war in Star Wars from a different perspective than what we usually get. While it had all of the Star Wars trappings one would expect, The Clone Wars also had an emphasis on regular soldiers at times, using the focus to tell new and interesting stories.

“The Clone Wars offers us a lot of the tools we need mechanically for the game, which is great,” explained Foertsch. “But it’s also interesting, we haven’t seen that kind of zoom level in the Clone Wars, and so it’s a pretty unique spot to land that also offered a lot of great options for us from a game design perspective, to tell a really great story with some great mechanics added to it. That really opened the door for us to do a lot of things.”

Creative executive Kelsey Sharpe also spoke about how the nature of the story in Clone Wars allowed the show to explore optimistic themes while sticking to its grounded atmosphere. Rogue One was also brought up in that regard, owing to its gritty atmosphere revolving around a small group of non-Jedi characters on a pivotal mission.

“Even if you have a more grounded tone and you’re getting into the shades of gray of the Clone Wars era, there’s always hope,” said Sharpe. “There’s always the bonds between your allies, there’s always the mythmaking. And that’s what Star Wars is. That’s how we keep things feeling consistent across all the stories we tell.”

Star Wars Zero Company was officially confirmed earlier this month. The game got a full reveal during the recent Star Wars Celebration event, where it was also announced that the game would be coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S some time in 2026. The title also got a trailer that showcased its themes and a bit of gameplay.

In Star Wars Zero Company, players take on the leadership of the titular Zero Company as they take on missions during the twilight of the Clone Wars. The title will feature turn-based tactical gameplay like we’ve previously seen in games like XCOM 2. During the course of a mission, players will be able to order their soldiers to take cover, setup Overwath, and even use tools like grenades to change the tides of battle.

Bit Reactor and Respawn have also confirmed that Star Wars Zero Company will offer plenty of chances for players to customise their squads in various ways. Players will also be able to check out their crew as they hang out in The Den, where more soldiers can be recruited to fill out the ranks.

But that’s not all – you can also make a custom squad. Want a murderous row of Astromechs? Go for it, though this decision will have consequences. Your crew hangs out in The Den, and you can socialize, recruit operatives and upgrade it.

A Galaxy Map highlights the different available missions, and depending on how the Clone Wars progresses, you’ll need to adapt your strategy. Familiar planets from properties like Star Wars: Obi-Wan, The Bad Batch, and more also appear.

Zero Company may start at odds, but as they build bonds, they can unlock new abilities (and even change their fate on the battlefield). The teams also confirmed difficulty settings, and yes, you can play with Permadeath in true XCOM fashion.

Star Wars Zero Company is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates.

The unit comprises an “unconventional outfit of professionals for hire” participating in an operation against an “emerging threat.” Despite their rampant professionalism, the group has some friction, which Hawks must manage. It’s an original story but some tie-ins to other properties wouldn’t be surprising.

Brief snatches of pre-alpha gameplay are showcased at the trailer’s tail-end, and, perhaps to the surprise of no one due to leaks, it’s an XCOM-like title with characters taking cover. Abilities include scanning for targets, Force pushing a droid away, sniping them from afar, and throwing grenades from elevated positions. There’s even a funny bit, intentional or not, of the Clone Trooper having a less-than-accurate aim.

Star Wars Zero Company launches in 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Further details have yet to be revealed, so stay tuned for more updates from the Developer Panel.

A developer panel hosted by Bit Reactor provides the world’s first look at the title, which could include gameplay. In the meantime, the first key art is available and highlights what could be the player’s squad. There’s a Jedi, a Clone Trooper, and a Mandalorian while a man, potentially their commander, sits on a ledge, peering at a hologram of a Republican Droid Trooper.

Perhaps it’s set between Episode 2: Attack of the Clones and Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, when the Republican Army and Trade Federation waged war on multiple fronts. The leaked screenshots indicated XCOM-like gameplay, from cover-based shooting to hit chances and skills like Overwatch. It won’t be long before we receive more details, so stay tuned for official updates.

Kurakasis has had a pretty good track record with leaks, so the rumoured title seems to be the likely one we’ll see when the game is unveiled on April 19. Behind the scenes, the game has been codenamed Bruno.

The leaked title follows on last month’s leaks that gave us some details about the upcoming game. Star Wars: Zero Company is slated to be an isometric turn-based strategy game that has been compared to titles like XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Screenshots were part of the previous leaks, giving us a look at some of the in-development UI for the upcoming title.

Much like Firaxis’ XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2, Star Wars: Zero Company seemingly has an element of chance to it. One of the leaked screenshots gave us a look at a Stormtrooper being targeted for an attack, with each attack option having different chances at landing. A thermal detonator, for instance, had a 95 percent chance to hit the target.

When it comes to minute-to-minute gameplay, Star Wars: Zero Company seemingly uses an isometric camera angle similar to other games in the genre. Players will also have access to a home base similar to games like XCOM. Here, the player will seemingly be able to partake in some of the more management-oriented tasks that a turn-based tactics game demands, such as setting up a squad loadout and researching and acquiring new weapons and other pieces of equipment.

Neither Respawn Entertainment nor Bit Reactor have revealed anything about the title aside from the fact that it is being developed in Unreal Engine 5. This fact was discovered through a job listing last year for a Senior Lighting Artist that would be able to work with Unreal Engine 5-based technologies like Lumen.

The game was officially unveiled all the way back in January 2022. Alongside Respawn, Bit Reactor is the major studio working on the game. The studio features industry veterans, including XCOM 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown developer Greg Foerscth. Bit Reactor has previously also offered assurances that development on the game hadn’t been affected by layoffs that have hit various studios under the Electronic Arts banner.

The fact that the game will be unveiled during the upcoming Star Wars Celebration was announced back in March. The announcement came after rumours of it happening back in January. As part of the announcement, Respawn and Bit Reactor are expected to show off a trailer for the game.

While no confirmation about platforms have been made so far, Star Wars: Zero Company is expected to come to PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Caught by Mp1st, the leaked screenshots are seemingly part of the portfolio from one of the artists working on the game at Bit Reactor. The screenshots are dated to 2023, which would indicate that they are from an earlier build of the game for internal testing.

Fans of the turn-based strategy games developed by Firaxis, such as XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2, will be quite pleased with the kind of gameplay that the screenshots seemingly indicate. Along with an isometric viewpoint, one of the screenshot also shows us what combat will look like, with a Mandalorian character taking aim at a Stormtrooper.

Much like the XCOM games, the upcoming Star Wars game will also involve an element of chance to it. In the screenshot where a Stormtrooper is being targeted, for example, the Mandalorian has a hit chance of 95 percent if they were to throw a thermal detonator at their target. Overwatch also seems to be returning from the XCOM games, with one of the screenshots showing two Mandalorian characters combining their Overwatch abilities to cover a larger area.

Outside of combat, the screenshots indicate that players will get to use a home base similar to what we’ve seen in other games of the genre. This home base will allow players to take on various tasks, and includes interactive items like a Holotable where players can presumably pick their next mission, a Special Ops table that likely provides extra objectives, and an Armory table where players can kit out their Mandalorians with specific gear.

So far, no official details about the game have been revealed from Respawn Entertainment or Bit Reactor. The studios have, however, gone as far as confirming that the Star Wars game is being developed through Unreal Engine 5. This was spotted through a job listing back in March 2024 for a Senior Lighting Artist that would be able to work with the engine to create lighting for “various levels and cinematics using Lumen.”

Bit Reactor’s team up with Respawn Entertainment was announced all the way back in January 2022. The studio is made up of industry veterans like Greg Foerscth, who has previously worked on XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2.