EA announces turn-based Star Wars Zero Company for 2026, official trailer released (Updated)
The game will be developed by Bit Reactor, a studio made up of former XCOM and Civilization developers. #starwars #starwarszerocompany
Note: This article was first published on 16 April 2025.
The game was first teased all the way back in 2022. Photo: Electronic Arts.
Note: This article was originally published on 16 April 2025, and has been updated with new release info.
In an announcement that's been years in the making, Electronic Arts (EA) has finally unveiled the Star Wars strategy game that's been in the works since at least three years ago: Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games.
The game was first teased in January 2022, when EA announced three new games that fans could expect to see in the coming years; one of them would turn out to be Respawn's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, while the second game, a Star Wars FPS directed by Peter Hirschmann, would be cancelled in 2024.
That leaves the third game from that announcement, a turn-based strategy game, which we now know to be Zero Company. EA didn't leave us with many details as it's saving them for a panel at the Star Wars Celebration Japan convention on 19 April; we do know, though, that the game will be set during the Clone Wars, and that the characters featured in the visual above are just some of the members we can recruit once the game releases.
We also know, or at should at least expect, that the game is in good hands. Bit Reactor is a relatively new studio, but it's also comprised of former employees from Firaxis, the studio behind Civilization and XCOM. Co-founded by Greg Foerstch, formerly senior art director at Firaxis and art lead behind XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 and Sid Meier's Railroads, Bit Reactor's aim is to create strategy games that satisfy both hardcore fans of the genre and people who enjoy games with rich stories.
Update on 22 April 2025: Trailer, release window announced
With Star Wars Celebration Japan coming and going this weekend, we now have new information about the game's plotline and release window.
Zero Company's story seems to take a different tack in regards to the Clone Wars, focusing less on the grand, important flashpoints and more on covert and tactical side of the conflict. The game will see you take control of Hawks, a former officer of the Republic who commands a band of operatives from across the galaxy.
The team that you command is customisable, and will consist of original Star Wars characters. Character types include clone troopers, astromechs, umbarans and even Jedi, among others. As for Hawk himself, his apperance and combat class is also customisable.
There's also a reconnaissance element. Between missions, players will set up a base of operations through which they can gather intelligence on Zero Company's foes. Who Zero Company is fighting against isn't exactly clear, though it seems to be operating outside of the major Clone Wars factions. We also know that player choices will be a big part of the game, according to Bit Reactor CEO Greg Foertsch.
And if you're curious as to how the game looks, no need to wait. The official announcement trailer also contains some gameplay footage, and a preview of how your varied your team can look:
Star Wars Zero Company will release in 2026, and will come to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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