Bit Reactor, the developer of Star Wars Zero Company, has begun returning some of its employees to the staff after furloughing an estimated 80% of staff simply earlier than the sport’s launch.
Bit Reactor’s CEO Greg Foertsch revealed the information in a public submit on October 7, the place he defined that the furloughs have been essential to “assist us ultimately deliver as many individuals again as attainable.”
Foertsh mentioned that bringing these employees members again to Bit Reactor was an “vital step ahead” within the studio’s “continued assist for Zero Company,” and that the staff appears to be like ahead to sharing extra updates concerning the recreation “quickly.”
“Having to ask staff members to step away after we navigated surprising enterprise developments exterior of our management and so near launch was an extremely troublesome resolution,” Foertsh wrote. “…This staff means an amazing quantity to me, and I’m extremely proud of what we now have completed collectively. Thanks to our followers for the unbelievable response to the sport and for supporting us alongside this journey.”
Sources with details about the state of affairs advised GameFile that the quantity of Bit Reactor’s payrolled employees now account for “greater than half of what it had been forward of the furloughs,” that means that there’s nonetheless a sizeable chunk of furloughed employees who aren’t getting paid.
Star Wars Zero Company launched in August 2026 to rave evaluations, getting a glowing 9 out of 10 from our reviewers right here at IGN who praised it for being an “wonderful tactical recreation that does a improbable job of slathering on the identical cinematic appear and feel we noticed in Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi video games, incorporating robust characters and a storyline that is refreshingly centered on non-Drive customers and a non-traditional villain.”
Regardless of its success, a lot of Bit Reactor’s employees have been positioned on go away with out pay simply earlier than Zero Company launched, with studies indicating round 80% of staff have been affected. This has change into a recurring pattern throughout the recreation growth trade, to the purpose the place Gears of Battle: E-Day builders have been overcome with fear that they’d get laid off after “crunching exhausting” to get the sport out on time.
That is the most recent information to get revealed about Zero Company after GameFile uncovered authorized paperwork revealing that the sport was initially pitched as a title throughout the Titanfall universe, with particular connections to Apex Legends. Whereas this pitch in the end didn’t undergo, it’s definitely intriguing sufficient to make us surprise what such a recreation would have regarded like, had it truly been made.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s Information Editor. With ten years of expertise reporting on video games and leisure, she’s received a storied background within the combating recreation neighborhood, influencer information, and viral on-line traits. Discover her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.