“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.