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.

Along with this, Kojima also revealed that he had spoken to Zampella following the former’s departure from Konami. Kojima was seeking advice from Zampella during the creation of Kojima Productions, since Zampella had experience with going independent to found Respawn Entertainment. “Without [Zampella], the gaming industry wouldn’t be what it is today,” he said.

Unfortunately, aside from the fact that it was going to be a shooter, we don’t really get to learn why this Zampella-headed Metal Gear game was never made. Considering his experience with the Call of Duty series, and the eventual release of two Titanfall games and Apex Legends, it would have likely been quite the action-packed ride.

The video package featured a number of important figures from across the gaming industry, from Hideo Kojima to Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, and even members of the gaming media like Geoff Keighley.

“What struck me most was his restlessness,” Keighley said on stage, according to Game File. “Nothing was ever quite good enough. That relentless hunger for excellence drove him to believe he could always make a better game, a better company, be a better leader.”

“He was direct, impatient with nonsense and fiercely loyal to the people doing the work,” Keighley continued. “As he liked to say, he was always a few days away from quitting every job he ever had. And somehow that’s what made him invaluable. He could be inside the system without becoming it. That independence led him to always put the player first, to push even the biggest organizations to take risks.’“

Vince Zampella passed away back in December in a tragic driving accident along Angeles Crest Highway. The accident was noted as occurring at 12:45 PM, and resulted in two fatalities – both occupants of Zampella’s 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS. Zampella died at the age of 55, and has left behind a massive legacy in the gaming industry.

Zampella was known for having a hand in creating games like the original Medal of Honor and the Call of Duty franchise after co-founding Infinity Ward with Jason West and Grant Collier. After having worked at the studio, and with Activision, for several years, Zampella and West would leave, founding Respawn Entertainment to work on games like Titanfall, the Star Wars: Jedi series, and Apex Legends.

After serving as the head of Respawn Entertainment for several years, Zampella would eventually become the CEO of Ripple Effect—the studio previously known as DICE LA and one of the studios that worked on Battlefield 6. As part of his role, Zampella was tasked with overseeing the Battlefield franchise as a whole. The latest entry was released in October across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Battlefield 6 contributed to most of the net bookings, though Apex Legends and EA Sports FC also saw some growth. The latter saw “increased high single digits year-over-year in Q3, excluding the benefit of deluxe edition content timing, driven by strength in Ultimate Team and FC Mobile.” Meanwhile, Respawn’s long-running battle royale shooter was “up double-digits year-over-year driven by innovative new features and events.”

Of course, Battlefield 6 is the star. Not only did it emerge as the best-selling shooter of last year – if selling more than seven million units within three days didn’t tip you off – but it also elevated the franchise to new engagement heights.

Following the announcement of its acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake, Electronic Arts won’t host a quarterly conference call to discuss its earnings. The publisher’s board approved the $55 billion deal, which will close sometime between April and June. However, US Congress members recently requested the Federal Trade Commission investigate the same, which could lead to impediments. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.

“I was thinking about this earlier when I was trying to come up with a game that wouldn’t make this list, and I was thinking about how… ‘received’… the last one was, but the Jedi Survivor sequel I think has a solid chance of coming out this year,” said Gettys in the closing minutes of the episode. “I don’t think it’s a slam dunk… I can see that game being announced in May and coming out in September.”

Other hosts also noted that the first game in the series, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, was announced and released in the same year. Its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, would then be released just four years later. If a third game in the series were to launch this year, this would mean a development cycle of only three years.

Gettys went on to note that, “I’ve heard some things.”

It is also worth noting that Respawn Entertainment has seen quite a few departures since the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, including the game’s director, Stig Asmussen. The studio has also been the subject of some layoffs last year. Senior encounter designer on Jedi: Survivor, Patrick Wren, had taken to social media to talk about how morale at the studio has been at “an all-time low”.

This statement came just a few days after EA had announced lay-offs across its various teams, including the Experiences team, with more than 300 employees being affected.

Stig Asmussen, in the meantime, has founded a new studio, dubbed Giant Skull, and has been working with Wizards of the Coast on a new game based on the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Back in June, he spoke about the studio’s experience with developing strong melee combat, and how the upcoming title will feature better animations than Star Wars Jedi: Survivor thanks to the lack of technical debt associated with those projects.

“We’re experts at melee combat, so that’s something that John [Hight] got to see and it translates very well to D&D,” he said, Asmussen, referring to the Wizards of the Coast president that had worked with him on God of War 3. “There’s probably still legacy debt that’s in the Jedi games from bad decisions that we made early on. Some of those bad decisions were based on momentum because we don’t get stuck. We just want to keep on moving forward.”

Along with combat, another key pillar of the project is traversal. “Traversal is really important to us,” he explained. “Giving the player a suite of different ways to probe and interact with the environment, and eventually build their character up to a point where they’re dominating the environment. It all has to feel silky smooth.”

The accident occurred at 12:45 PM and resulted in two fatalities – the driver died in the resulting fire, while the passenger, ejected from the vehicle, passed away later in the hospital. It’s unknown what led to the crash, although eye-witness video is available, showing Zampella’s vehicle, a 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, exiting a tunnel beforehand.

Zampella was 55 years old and an iconic figure in the industry. He co-founded Infinity Ward alongside Jason West and Grant Collier, which went on to create the massively popular Call of Duty franchise. Zampella and West would leave to found Respawn Entertainment, known for Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars: Jedi series.

He would become CEO of Ripple Effect Studios, formerly DICE LA, and then oversee the Battlefield franchise. The latter would see a resurgence with the launch of Battlefield 6, which sold over seven million copies in its first three days.

To clarify, it has nothing to do with Star Wars: Zero Company, the turn-based tactics game from Bit Reactor and EA or Quantic Dream’s long-in-development Star Wars: Eclipse. That leaves only two potential choices – Respawn Entertainment’s sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Saber Interactive’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake.

Electronic Arts has never officially revealed Star Wars Jedi 3, though it confirmed back in 2024 that the “final chapter” in the series is in the works. Jedi: Survivor and Fallen Order amassed more than 40 million players at the time and have doubtless only increased since.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake is an even bigger enigma. Originally in development at Aspyr under the Embracer Group, it faced delays due to internal struggles. Saber took over and retained ownership of the title after splitting from the holding company. It’s set to receive new details “when the time is right,” but concept art of Kashyyyk and early level assets have leaked since.

It is worth noting that EA leadership has been asking employees to use AI for around a year, well before the company announced its acquisition. The leadership has asked employees to use AI for several functions, from generating code while programming a game to generating concept art. Even middle managers have been asked to use AI tools to get advice on how they can talk to the workers under them about subjects like promotions.

To accomplish this, the company has been asking employees to undergo multiple training courses about AI, with subjects including how AI-based tools can be used to accelerate work, and how generative AI can be used as a “thought partner”, according to internal documents acquired by Business Insider. Some allegedly available tools include an in-house chatbot named ReefGPT. However, employees have also noted that these tools have been producing “flawed code and other so-called hallucinations” that they then have to spend more time correcting.

One employee, who was laid off earlier this year and formerly a part of the Respawn Entertainment QA team, spoke about being let go because these AI tools were able to review and summarise feedback received from playtesters. He believes this is the reason for being laid off (alongside around 100 other employees).

Rumours started coming up shortly after the acquisition was announced that EA would be looking at streamlining its game development process by using AI-based tools. These AI tools are expected to fulfill several parts of the company’s game development pipelines, which could result in layoffs.

Considering the amount of debt that EA has taken on itself to fund its acquisition, this focus on employees using AI likely stems from the company planning further cutbacks to its workforce down the line. Analysts have also been predicting that the company will likely start focusing on games it believes to be surefire hits to guarantee higher revenue. Kantan Games analyst Serkan Toto believes that it will lead to “an even stronger focus on evergreen IPs, blockbuster (fewer but potentially bigger games) and live services – at the expense of riskier projects, new ideas and innovation.”

New York University Stern School of Business professor and industry researcher Joost Van Dreunen spoke about the possibility of the company doubling down on its sports franchises, which make up a large percentage of its earnings. He also called into question the valuation of EA as part of the $55 billion buyout, noting that the company has “little growth potential” to justify the value.