Star Wars: Zero Company studio brings furloughed developers back

Furloughed developers behind Star Wars: Zero Company are coming back to work.

Bit Reactor chief executive Greg Foertsch announced the return-to-work process in an online statement, Eurogamer reported on 7 October 2026. The studio has started bringing staff back to support the game after launch.

Weeks before release, Bit Reactor furloughed around 80% of its workforce. A furlough is a leave of absence from a job. In this case most staff were placed on leave without pay or benefits.

The timing was harsh. Foertsch said asking team members to step away so close to launch, after unexpected business developments outside the studio's control, was difficult. He said it was necessary in order to bring as many people back as possible.

The studio has not said exactly how many developers have returned. Eurogamer, citing a source familiar with the situation, reported that more than half of the overall headcount is now back on payroll. That figure has not been confirmed by Bit Reactor.

Foertsch said the team means a tremendous amount to him and that he is incredibly proud of what they accomplished together, according to Video Games Chronicle. While most staff were on leave, a small team stayed on to work on updates for the game, Game File reported.

Zero Company found players fast. It sold more than 1 million copies soon after launch. The game is listed for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment named as partners on the Bit Reactor website.

Foertsch now has sole ownership of Bit Reactor after a legal battle with co-founder Alison Kelly.

For players, the change is practical. More developers back on payroll should mean steadier updates and fixes for a large squad-based game that needs ongoing support. For the staff involved, it is a second start after weeks of uncertainty.