Star Wars Zero Company Developers Furloughed Without Pay Right Before Launch
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
A new report reveals that developer Bit Reactor furloughed most of the Star Wars Zero Company team without pay just weeks before launch, amid an ongoing legal dispute between the studio's co-founders.
According to a recent report by Game File, developer Bit Reactor reportedly furloughed roughly 80 percent of the team behind Star Wars Zero Company just weeks before the game hit store shelves. The affected staff remain technically employed by the studio, but they are currently receiving no salaries while the remaining skeleton crew handles post-launch bugs. A studio spokesperson stated that the decision came entirely from Bit Reactor management rather than publisher EA, noting that future recalls depend on the game achieving commercial success.
Details of these financial strains and employment practices came to light through public court filings and social media posts stemming from a legal battle between Bit Reactor co-founders Greg Foertsch and Alison Kelly. The lawsuit, which centers on studio ownership, is heading toward a trial in early 2027. Meanwhile, former and current staff have expressed deep uncertainty regarding whether everyone will actually be brought back to their positions once the dust settles.
Situations like this highlight the ongoing instability for development talent in the games industry, where successful launches do not always translate to immediate job security for the people who built the product. As digital storefronts and live service economies generate billions, the human cost of studio mismanagement remains a pressing issue that players and creators continue to push back against.
Tags: Star Wars Zero Company, Bit Reactor, Industry News, PC Gaming, Console Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun