Star Wars: Zero Company developer Bit Reactor has started bringing back developers who were furloughed ahead of the game’s launch, studio CEO Greg Foertsch announced in an online statement. “This week, we started the process of returning more of our team back to work at Bit Reactor, an important step forward in our continued support for Zero Company,” Foertsch said.
Furloughs Ahead of Launch
Weeks before the tactical combat game arrived on August 27, 2026, Bit Reactor reportedly furloughed around 80% of its workforce. Money ran dry as the Maryland-based studio neared the release of Star Wars: Zero Company, forcing the company to send most staff on a leave of absence without pay or benefits. Staff kept their employee status during this period despite receiving neither salary nor benefits, while a skeleton crew stayed behind to address post-launch bugs. The studio stated the cuts were made before it was clear how the launch would go. Shacknews reported that the studio ran out of funding in the lead-up to the release. Bit Reactor ran out of cash following a legal battle between co-founders Alison Kelly and Foertsch, who holds sole ownership of the company.
Team Members Returning to Work
Bit Reactor did not specify how many developers returned to work this week. However, Game File recently reported that more than half of the studio’s overall headcount is back on payroll, citing a source familiar with the situation. More than half of the pre-furlough team is now back on the payroll, while others remain unpaid. Foertsch addressed the initial cuts in his statement, calling them a difficult necessity. “Having to ask team members to step away after we navigated unexpected business developments outside of our control and so close to launch was an incredibly difficult decision, but one that was necessary to help us eventually bring as many people back as possible,” Foertsch said.
Star Wars Zero Company Sales Success
Star Wars: Zero Company became a major hit immediately upon release. Shacknews reported that the tactical combat game sold more than a million copies in its first month. The title rose to the top of the charts in record time, quickly selling over 1m copies by transporting XCOMs best bits to a galaxy far, far away. The game is currently available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
Bit Reactor Staff Furloughs and Star Wars Zero Company Sales
How many Bit Reactor employees were furloughed before the game launched?
Reports indicated that approximately 80% of Bit Reactor’s workforce was placed on unpaid leave in the weeks leading up to the release of Star Wars: Zero Company.
When did Star Wars: Zero Company release?
Star Wars: Zero Company launched on August 27, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
How many copies has Star Wars: Zero Company sold?
The game quickly sold over one million copies following its August release.
What is the current employment status of the staff at Bit Reactor?
Bit Reactor began bringing furloughed workers back to work this week, with a source telling Game File that more than half of the pre-furlough headcount is now back on the payroll while others remain in limbo.
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