Star Wars Zero Company Rehires Furloughed Developers in Encouraging News

The launch of Star Wars Zero Company followed a sadly familiar trajectory. This strategy game garnered significant acclaim, yet a large portion of the team behind it faced job losses shortly after its release. Reports surfaced indicating that 80% of Bit Reactor’s workforce had been furloughed.

Bit Reactor clarified that this decision was unrelated to any external pressures from EA or Disney, expressing hope to reinstate employee salaries following the successful debut of Zero Company. Fortunately, it appears that progress is being made in that direction.

In a recent update on X, Bit Reactor CEO Greg Foerstch announced that the studio is in the process of rehiring more members of the development team. He referred to this as “an important step forward in our continued support for Zero Company.”

Foerstch acknowledged the difficulty of asking team members to step back after navigating unexpected business challenges so close to launch, emphasizing that it was a necessary choice to facilitate the return of as many employees as possible. He also hinted at more updates regarding Bit Reactor and Zero Company in the near future.

A lawsuit uncovered prior to Zero Company’s launch revealed some of the studio’s struggles. The legal documents indicated the furlough of 80% of the team and the termination of contractors, alongside a dispute between co-founders Greg Foerstch and Alison Kelly. Kelly, the former chief operating officer, claims co-ownership, while Foerstch asserts he is the sole owner. She is seeking $20 million in damages, alleging she was forced out of the company.

So far, Zero Company has primarily received bug fixes. The 1.1 Patch released on September 9 improved performance and addressed various gameplay issues. While no major expansions or updates have been previewed yet, Foerstch’s comments about “continued support for Zero Company” suggest that some form of story DLC may be on the horizon.

In the meantime, the community is stepping up. A modder named Cafiso has created an unofficial expansion called Aftermath, allowing players to continue their journey after the main story concludes, adding over 1,000 new cycles complete with fresh boss battles, recruits, and enemy factions. Here’s hoping Bit Reactor’s support for the game remains just as strong.

Zero Company carries a bit more of that Andor essence than you might expect.