Bit Reactor, the studio behind Star Wars Zero Company, has begun returning developers it furloughed in the weeks before the tactics game launched. CEO Greg Foertsch announced the move in a statement posted to the studio's social channels this week, though he did not say how many people are coming back.
"This week, we started the process of returning more of our team back to work at Bit Reactor, an important step forward in our continued support for Zero Company," Foertsch wrote.
He described the earlier furloughs as "an incredibly difficult decision" that came after the studio "navigated unexpected business developments outside of our control and so close to launch." According to Foertsch, the step was necessary "to help us eventually bring as many people back as possible." He also thanked fans for their response to the game and said the studio expects to share more news about Bit Reactor and Zero Company soon.
Star Wars Zero Company released on August 27, 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox, according to Gamebonk's release tracker. Eurogamer reports that the game, which brings an XCOM-style approach to the Star Wars setting, sold more than 1 million copies shortly after release.
Game File reports over half of staff back on payroll
The studio's statement gave no figures, but Game File, citing a person familiar with the situation, reported that more than half of Bit Reactor's pre-furlough headcount is now being paid again. That leaves a sizeable share of the team still unpaid.
The scale of the original cuts was steep. Sources told Game File at the time that around 80 percent of the studio's staff were furloughed, with a small crew kept on to handle bugs after launch. According to GamesIndustry.biz, Game File has also reported that furloughed workers remain employees on paper but receive no salary and no benefits during that period.
GamesIndustry.biz notes the studio has said the decision to furlough was made "before it was clear how the launch would go."
A lawsuit between the founders brought the furloughs to light
The furloughs only became public through a legal fight between Foertsch and Alison Kelly, Bit Reactor's former chief operating officer, according to Rock Paper Shotgun. Kelly has accused Foertsch of forcing her out of the company, and the dispute centres on whether she was a co-owner of the studio. Eurogamer describes the pair as co-founders and reports that Foertsch now holds sole ownership of Bit Reactor, adding that the studio appears to have run short of cash to pay its workers after the dispute began.
No firm count of affected staff has surfaced publicly. Rock Paper Shotgun reports that the case is expected to go to trial at some point next year.
