Bit Reactor Confirms Furloughs Before Star Wars Zero Company Launch

Bit Reactor has confirmed that it furloughed many employees before Star Wars Zero Company launched on August 27, with the studio saying the decision was made before it knew how its first game would perform.

The studio has not disclosed how many workers were affected. However, an August court filing states that Bit Reactor had furloughed "most of its employees" and terminated contractors, while one source told Game File that around 80% of the team was affected.

A Bit Reactor representative confirmed the furloughs to Game File and described them as a difficult decision made while the studio faced uncertainty ahead of launch.

The representative also said Bit Reactor made the decision itself, rather than publisher Electronic Arts or Star Wars license holder Disney. According to Game File's reporting, the studio had run out of most of its money shortly before Zero Company was released.

Star Wars Zero Company is Bit Reactor's debut game. The single-player turn-based tactics title launched for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on August 27.

More detail about the scale of the furloughs emerged through an ongoing legal dispute involving Bit Reactor co-founder Alison Kelly.

An August 12 filing reviewed by Game File states that the studio "has furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors." Bit Reactor did not confirm that description when responding to the publication.

One source estimated that the furloughs affected 80% of the team. Another described a skeleton crew remaining on the active payroll to deal with post-launch problems. The 80% figure is therefore an estimate from a source, not a confirmed headcount from Bit Reactor.

Bit Reactor told Game File that it hopes to bring furloughed employees back, with the game's performance after launch potentially affecting what happens next.

The studio has not announced how many employees could return or when any recalls might happen. CEO and creative director Greg Foertsch publicly thanked the development team when Zero Company launched, describing the game as a project the studio had spent years creating alongside Lucasfilm Games and EA.