Bit Reactor Begins Bringing Furloughed Zero Company Staff Back

Bit Reactor has started bringing staff back to work after a furlough that overshadowed the launch of Star Wars Zero Company. The tactics game arrived in late August to strong reviews, but a large part of the studio's team was furloughed around that time, and many employees were left unsure whether they still had jobs.

Now some of them are back. CEO Greg Foertsch told Game File that the studio has "started the process of returning more of our team back to work." He did not give percentages or a headcount. According to Game File's sources, the number of people working at the studio is now more than half of what it was before the furlough. Those sources also said it is unclear whether more employees will be called back, or when that might happen.

The studio's leadership is also tied up in a lawsuit. A case involving Foertsch and co-founder Alison Kelly is still ongoing, and it adds another layer of uncertainty for a team that has spent months waiting for a clear answer.

The game itself has earned praise. In our review, Steve Watts called Zero Company "the next great evolution of the genre." It blends XCOM-style turn-based combat with Star Wars touches, such as using the Force to pull enemies out of cover so your blasters can finish them off. Its prequel-era story is also more approachable than many fans might expect. Niche tactics games rarely make a big splash, so the game's quality makes the staffing situation harder to separate from its launch.