Greg Foertsch
Reporting and statements that mention Greg Foertsch.
Latest coverage
Why Star Wars Zero Company Keeps Pulling You Back In
Star Wars Zero Company has surprisingly found an audience, achieving the franchise's second-biggest launch on Steam despite performance issues and Electronic Arts' current focus away from single-player narrative titles. Developed by Bit Reactor, a studio comprised of former Firaxis employees, the game succeeds by not directly cloning XCOM 2, but by leveraging its core gameplay loop and strong Star Wars universe integration to create an addictive experience.
Strategically making Star Wars Zero Company, ft. Greg Foertsch
Bit Reactor CEO Greg Foertsch discusses the development of Star Wars Zero Company, his passion for in-game cameras, and inviting team members into the development process. The interview was recorded before news broke of significant layoffs at the studio.
How Bit Reactor took its original concept and turned it into Star Wars Zero Company
Bit Reactor's Greg Foertsch and Hector Antunez discuss how their strategy game evolved into Star Wars Zero Company, particularly its focus on the Clone Wars era. They explain how the Star Wars IP helped shape the game's narrative and mechanics, and express hope that characters like Runa will leave a lasting legacy.
Star Wars Zero Company studio Bit Reactor reportedly furloughed 80% of staff prior to release
Despite the critical and commercial success of Star Wars Zero Company, its developer Bit Reactor reportedly furloughed 80% of its staff shortly before launch. This decision, made by the studio itself rather than EA or Disney, has led to a lawsuit from a former COO seeking $20 million in damages over alleged contract breaches.
Star Wars Zero Company Developers Were Furloughed Before The Game Even Released
A significant portion of the development team for Star Wars Zero Company at Bit Reactor was furloughed before the game's August 28 release, with sources indicating around 80% of the team was impacted. The studio operated on a tight $50 million budget, and co-founders are involved in a lawsuit alleging mismanagement and wrongful termination.
Star Wars Zero Company studio furloughed staff right before the strategy game launched due to reportedly running low on…
Star Wars Zero Company developer Bit Reactor reportedly furloughed most of its staff just weeks before the strategy game's launch due to financial difficulties. The studio claims it intends to rehire employees if sales are strong, but former staff have accused management of concealing the furloughs. Despite these issues, the game is performing well on Steam and has received positive reviews.
Star Wars: Zero Company devs left without pay, report claims, with "most" staff furloughed prior to launch
Developers at Bit Reactor, the studio behind Star Wars: Zero Company, were reportedly furloughed without pay weeks before the game's launch, with "most" of the team impacted. A spokesperson for Bit Reactor stated the decision was theirs alone and expressed hope to rehire staff if the game's launch is successful. The situation has emerged amidst ongoing legal action between the studio's co-founders.
"Most" of the developers behind critically acclaimed Star Wars Zero Company were furloughed ahead of launch
The majority of developers behind the critically acclaimed Star Wars Zero Company were furloughed weeks before its launch due to an ownership dispute between Bit Reactor's co-founders. This has led to a significant portion of the staff being placed on unpaid leave, with a skeleton crew remaining to address bugs. While the studio hopes to rehire staff, the ongoing legal battle over company ownership casts doubt on the future.
Bit Reactor furloughed "many of its workers" in the weeks before Star Wars Zero Company's launch
Star Wars Zero Company developer Bit Reactor furloughed a significant portion of its staff in the weeks leading up to the game's launch, reportedly due to financial difficulties. A skeleton crew remains to address post-launch bugs, with hopes of rehiring furloughed workers if the game proves successful. The article also touches on a lawsuit filed by a former COO regarding company ownership and alleged termination.
Star Wars Zero Company Studio Furloughed Many Employees Weeks Before Release
Developer Bit Reactor furloughed a significant portion of its staff weeks before the release of Star Wars Zero Company, a decision confirmed by a company representative as necessary for survival. This news comes amidst a lawsuit filed by co-founder Alison Kelly and reports of employees working without pay, though the company plans to rehire furloughed workers post-launch. Despite these internal issues, the game has received critical acclaim and positive player reception on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Star Wars Zero Company Review – The Tactics Federation
Star Wars: Zero Company is a highly praised tactics game developed by Bit Reactor, featuring a compelling narrative and deep tactical gameplay reminiscent of XCOM. The game excels with its diverse cast of characters, sharp writing, and smart mechanical adjustments, though it suffers from limited enemy variety and performance issues on PC. Despite its flaws, it offers an exceptional tactical sandbox and a worthy Star Wars experience.
Star Wars Zero Company interview – ‘we finally brought this genre to new people'
Developers from Bit Reactor, including directors Greg Foertsch and James Brawley, discuss their upcoming turn-based strategy game Star Wars Zero Company. Having previously worked on the XCOM series at Firaxis Games, they aim to blend authentic Star Wars storytelling with deep tactical gameplay, making the genre more accessible to a wider audience. The interview also touches on design choices, narrative integration, and the challenges of adapting beloved IPs.
"Time will tell": Bit Reactor talk queerness in Star Wars: Zero Company and whether they'll keep working with Saudi-owned EA
Bit Reactor discusses the inclusion of queer representation in their upcoming game Star Wars: Zero Company, noting the player's ability to define their character's identity. The article also explores concerns surrounding Electronic Arts' recent acquisition by a Saudi-led consortium, questioning the potential impact on games with progressive themes.
Star Wars Zero Company wants to be more than XCOM with lightsabers: "Gamers are more sophisticated now"
Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor, aims to transcend the typical turn-based tactics genre by offering a more sophisticated experience for modern gamers. Director Greg Foertsch and narrative director Aaron Contreras emphasize unique inspirations like film noir and spy thrillers, while gameplay veterans from XCOM and Marvel's Midnight Suns are working to blend familiar tactical combat with a strong narrative focus and a player-driven avatar character. The game is set to release on August 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Star Wars: Zero Company will be brilliant because XCOM is brilliant
Star Wars: Zero Company aims to blend the acclaimed turn-based tactics of XCOM with the Star Wars universe. Developed by Bit Reactor, a studio with many ex-Firaxis XCOM developers, the game features a linear narrative, third-person exploration segments in its base, and new mechanics like operator 'bonds' and 'Operations' to deepen squad management. The preview highlights how these additions, alongside familiar XCOM-like gameplay loops, create a compelling experience that feels both familiar and fresh.
Star Wars Zero Company Is Good But Seems To Play Things Too Safe
Star Wars Zero Company is a competent turn-based tactics game that draws heavily from the XCOM formula, but it plays things too safe and fails to distinguish itself from its peers. While the game features a compelling Star Wars setting and a focus on character relationships and narrative, its core gameplay mechanics feel overly familiar. The developers at Bit Reactor, comprised of former XCOM team members, aim to push the genre forward, but the early hours suggest a reliance on established mechanics rather than innovation.
Star Wars Zero Company is a very safe XCOM descendant, but its most interesting parts are found in its Midnight Suns DNA
Star Wars Zero Company offers a familiar turn-based tactical experience reminiscent of XCOM, developed by veterans from Firaxis Games. While it successfully captures the core XCOM gameplay loop, including permadeath and strategic combat, its most innovative elements draw inspiration from Marvel's Midnight Suns, such as enhanced squad camaraderie and pre-battle interactions. Despite its strengths in squad management and build variety, the game's reliance on established mechanics and somewhat repetitive combat arenas temper expectations for it to significantly advance the genre.
Star Wars Zero Company brings XCOM-style strategy to a galaxy far, far away
Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor, brings XCOM-style turn-based tactics to the Star Wars universe. Players lead a customizable mercenary group, facing permadeath and building bonds between characters. The game is set to release on August 27 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, though some performance concerns were noted in the preview build.
Star Wars Zero Company is deep strategy wrapped in a beautiful package
Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based strategy game that blends deep tactical combat with extensive character and squad customization. The game features a unique Star Wars story with original characters and a presentation that rivals AAA titles. Its base-building and character bonding mechanics offer a sense of place and attachment not often seen in the genre, making it a potentially strong entry point for newcomers.
You only get one, permakillable Jedi Padawan in Star Wars Zero Company, but that's fine because I'm going to roll an R2-D2 deathsquad anyway
Star Wars Zero Company, a tactics RPG from Bit Reactor and Electronic Arts, features a permakillable Jedi Padawan named Tel-Rea, but allows players to field entire squads of R2-D2 units. The game will be a 30-40 hour linear experience with 12 classes, no plot branching, and no modding support. Players can choose to disable permadeath, and the game launches on August 27th.
