Star Wars is going tactical. Star Wars Zero Company — a single-player turn-based tactics game set in the twilight of the Clone Wars — launches August 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with pre-orders live now. Developed by Bit Reactor, a studio staffed by veterans of the modern XCOM series, and published by Electronic Arts with Lucasfilm Games, it trades lightsaber reflexes for cover, positioning, and squad building. Standard editions start at $49.99 on PC.
- ▶Sources: Steam store page · StarWars.com — gameplay trailer · Xbox Wire preview · Forbes — release & pre-order info
At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Star Wars Zero Company |
| Developer / Publisher | Bit Reactor / Electronic Arts (with Lucasfilm Games) |
| Genre | Single-player turn-based tactics |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Release date | August 27, 2026 (3:00 PM UTC) |
| Standard price | $49.99 PC / $59.99 console |
| Deluxe price | $59.99 PC / $69.99 console |
| Collector's Edition | $299.99 |
| Pre-order bonus | Crystalline Astromech Pack |
The gameplay trailer, revealed at Summer Game Fest 2026, introduces Zero Company and its battlefield tactics
What Zero Company Is
Zero Company is not a war story told from the top. You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads an unconventional outfit of professionals for hire operating in the shadows of the Clone Wars. Recruited for an operation against an emerging threat that could consume the galaxy, the squad works the margins of a conflict most Star Wars fiction only shows from the front lines.
The framing matters because it justifies the genre. Rather than commanding clone battalions, you run a small, deniable team — the kind of setup that has always suited turn-based tactics, where every unit is individually valuable and every loss stings. Missions span tactical operations, investigations, and other high-stakes objectives, wrapped in what EA describes as a cinematic original story.
Building — and Customizing — Your Squad
The pitch that will land with tactics fans is roster variety. Zero Company lets you deploy a team of operatives drawn from a spread of archetypes — from scoundrels to astromech droids, and even a Jedi. Each brings a different pool of tactical abilities, and the game leans on positioning and ability synergy rather than raw reflexes.
| System | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Squad archetypes | Scoundrels, astromechs, a Jedi, and more |
| Combat synergies | Units unlock joint abilities as they fight together |
| Custom characters | Build original Star Wars operatives — looks, loadouts, abilities |
| Hawks customization | Tune the protagonist's combat specialization and appearance |
| Branching outcomes | Decisions shift how each playthrough unfolds |
Between missions you manage a base of operations, and squad members improve as they deploy — learning to work together and unlocking synergies that can decide a fight. The promise of custom, made-to-order Star Wars characters gives the sandbox a personal hook that generic soldier rosters usually lack.
Editions and Pricing
EA is shipping three tiers. The Deluxe Edition layers on cosmetic packs and weapon themes; the Collector's Edition targets the shelf-display crowd.
| Edition | PC / Console | Key Extras |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49.99 / $59.99 | Base game |
| Deluxe | $59.99 / $69.99 | Grand Army of the Republic + Shadow Collective cosmetic packs, 5 weapon themes |
| Collector's | $299.99 | Physical collectible bundle |
The Deluxe cosmetics lean into faction fantasy — Republic officer uniforms and ARC Trooper armor on one side, Pyke Syndicate and Death Watch-flavored gear on the other. None of it is mechanical, so the Standard Edition remains the honest baseline for players who only care about the tactics.
Pre-Order Bonus
Pre-ordering any edition grants the Crystalline Astromech Pack at launch. It includes the R3 droid plus translucent "crystalline" astromech heads for R4 and R5 variants, along with Zero Company's exclusive BR-1 droid. It is a cosmetic sweetener, not a power bump — worth noting for anyone weighing whether to commit early.
Who's Making It
The most encouraging detail sits behind the camera. Bit Reactor is a studio built around developers with deep experience on the modern XCOM series and other Firaxis strategy games — the lineage that defined contemporary turn-based tactics. Pairing that pedigree with the Star Wars license is exactly the combination the sub-genre's fans have wanted, and it raises the ceiling on what Zero Company could be if the execution matches the resume.
EA publishes, with Lucasfilm Games attached — a partnership that has produced both hits and misfires over the past decade. The gameplay trailer's warm reception at Summer Game Fest 2026 suggests the tactical core is landing; the open question is mission-to-mission depth over a full campaign.
For Korean Players
Zero Company supports Korean text, and it carries a KGRB 15 rating. Full voice audio is limited to English and German, so Korean players get subtitled localization rather than a dub — standard for a Western tactics release, and worth setting expectations around. Star Wars retains a devoted following in Korea, and a mid-priced, single-player tactics entry with no live-service hooks is an easy recommendation for strategy fans here.
Key Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2025 | Zero Company announced by EA and Lucasfilm Games |
| June 2026 | Gameplay trailer revealed at Summer Game Fest |
| August 2026 | Pre-orders open across editions |
| August 27, 2026 | Global launch (3:00 PM UTC) |
GamePeak's Take
| Verdict | Summary |
|---|---|
| Best for | XCOM-style tactics fans and Star Wars players wanting single-player |
| The hook | Custom squads spanning scoundrels, droids, and a Jedi |
| The pedigree | Bit Reactor's XCOM-veteran team is the reason to be optimistic |
| The caveat | Korean is text-only; full audio is English/German |
| Value pick | Standard Edition — Deluxe extras are purely cosmetic |
Zero Company is the rare Star Wars game whose genre choice feels deliberate rather than opportunistic. A small, expendable team in the shadows of the Clone Wars is a natural fit for turn-based tactics, and the studio behind it has the credentials to deliver. The verdict rests on campaign depth — but as a premium, self-contained strategy release without a live-service tail, it starts from a position most modern Star Wars games don't.