Star Wars Zero Company may be one of the biggest hits in gaming right now, but behind the glowing reviews and strong sales lies a troubling reality for the people who built it. According to multiple reports, developer Bit Reactor furloughed roughly 80 percent of its workforce just weeks before the tactical strategy game launched last week, leaving the vast majority of the team without pay during what should have been a moment of celebration.
The furloughs first came to public attention through a Game File investigation and comments from former Bit Reactor senior technical artist Zachariah Scott, who accused the studio of quietly concealing the cuts. Scott, who says he was fired from the company in May under contentious circumstances, claimed that nearly a dozen colleagues he spoke with had been placed on unpaid leave. Only a skeleton crew reportedly remains on active payroll to handle post-launch bug fixes and maintenance.
A Bit Reactor spokesperson confirmed to Game File that many staff members had been furloughed, stressing that the decision was made independently and had nothing to do with publisher EA or Star Wars IP holder Disney. The studio reportedly ran out of funds to pay employees in the final stretch before release, despite earlier cost-cutting measures described internally as “austerity.” Eurogamer reports that the spokesperson expressed hope of restoring pay and bringing furloughed developers back, suggesting the game’s commercial performance would be a key factor in making that possible.
The situation has been further complicated by an ongoing legal battle between Bit Reactor’s co-founders. Alison Kelly, the studio’s former COO, filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging she was pushed out of the company by CEO Greg Foertsch without compensation for her ownership stake, claiming damages of $20 million. Foertsch has denied the allegations and countersued, arguing Kelly was never a co-owner. The case, which first brought the furlough details into the public record, is scheduled to go to trial in early 2027.
Amid the legal and financial turmoil, IGN notes an intriguing detail about the game’s origins: Kelly is said to have been instrumental in pitching the project to the late Respawn and EA executive Vince Zampella, who initially considered it as a Titanfall spinoff before redirecting the concept toward the Star Wars universe. The result was a game that earned a 9 out of 10 from IGN and has become a Steam bestseller.
Whether Zero Company’s strong reception will be enough to stabilize Bit Reactor and restore its workforce remains an open question. The studio has not disclosed what sales benchmarks would need to be met to bring furloughed employees back, and former staff have expressed skepticism that everyone affected will ultimately return. For now, the developers who crafted one of the year’s most celebrated games are left waiting to learn whether their work will also secure their livelihoods.