Star Wars Zero Company Devs Return After Furlough

Remember how Star Wars Zero Company launched to rave reviews back in late August, but the celebration was muted because a big chunk of developer Bit Reactor's team had been furloughed? Well, there's finally some good news for at least some of those workers.

Bit Reactor CEO Greg Foertsch told Game File that the studio has "started the process of returning more of our team back to work." He didn't give exact numbers, but sources say the current headcount is now more than half of what it was before the furloughs. So while it's not a full recovery, it's a step in the right direction for a team that was left hanging after shipping such a well-received game.

Of course, there's still a cloud hanging over the studio. A lawsuit involving Foertsch and co-founder Alison Kelly is ongoing, and it's unclear when or if the rest of the furloughed staff will be brought back. That uncertainty has to be tough for everyone involved, especially after pouring their hearts into a game that turned out to be something special.

If you haven't played Zero Company yet, you're missing out. It's a turn-based tactics game set in the prequel era, and it mixes classic XCOM-style combat with clever Star Wars twists. For example, you can force-pull enemies out of cover and then blast them to bits. Our own Steve Watts called it "the next great evolution of the genre" in his review. Not bad for a niche genre that often struggles to make a big splash.

And if you're hungry for more Star Wars action after finishing Zero Company, you can now pick up Star Wars Galactic Racer, which is also excellent. It's a different flavor of Star Wars, but it's a great chaser.

For now, though, the focus is on Bit Reactor's recovery. Getting more than half the team back is a positive sign, but the lawsuit and the remaining furloughed workers mean the story is far from over. We'll keep you posted as things develop.

What do you think about the situation? Are you glad to hear some of the devs are back, or are you worried about the studio's future? Let us know in the comments.