James Brawley
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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.
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: A New Hope for Turn-Based Tactics
Star Wars Zero Company, a turn-based tactics game with RPG storytelling from new studio Bit Reactor, is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S on August 27, 2026. The game features a squad of mercenaries led by Hawks during the Clone Wars, with deep customization options for characters and emergent relationships. Combat involves strategic use of action points and a shared 'Advantage' resource, with permadeath adding stakes to missions.
Star Wars Zero Company Features Over 150 Planets for Operations, DLC Remains Up in The Air
Star Wars Zero Company will feature over 150 planets for operations and a story playthrough of 30-40 hours. The game launches on August 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, offering various mission types and an optional permadeath mode. Developer Bit Reactor is currently focused on the launch and has no DLC announcements at this time.
There's only one Jedi Operator in Star Wars Zero Company, and reckless players may end up with none at all: 'Be careful that nothing unfortunate happens to her!'
Bit Reactor's upcoming tactics game, Star Wars Zero Company, will feature only one Jedi Operator, Tel-Rea, and permadeath mechanics mean players could lose her permanently. Lead designer James Brawley confirmed Tel-Rea is the sole Jedi Padawan class, emphasizing the need for players to protect her. While permadeath can be toggled off on easier difficulties, the game's narrative characters are vulnerable once introduced.
Star Wars Zero Company is going all in on Clone customisation, but my favourite armour is restricted to the Deluxe…
Star Wars Zero Company developer Bit Reactor has detailed its extensive Clone Trooper customization options, including paint jobs, patterns, and helmet voice modulation. While most cosmetic options are available from the start, the classic Phase 1 ARC Trooper armor is exclusive to the Deluxe Edition's 'Grand Army of the Republic' pack. The developer confirmed there are no plans for monetization or microtransactions outside of this edition.
Star Wars Zero Company: How Some of the Greatest Minds in Tactics Games are Pushing the Genre, Again
Star Wars Zero Company, the debut title from Bit Reactor, a studio founded by former Firaxis developers, is a turn-based tactics game set during the Clone Wars. Players will lead a company of mercenaries, customizing their protagonist Hawks and recruiting a diverse roster of characters. The game blends RPG storytelling with XCOM-style tactical combat, featuring a deep bond system between characters and a specialization system for combat roles.
Star Wars: Zero Company Creators Talk Canon, Character Customization and More | IGN Live 2026
Star Wars: Zero Company Director Greg Foertsch and Lead Designer James Brawley discussed the upcoming single-player turn-based tactics game at IGN Live. Set during the twilight of the Clone Wars, the game will explore the political and behind-the-scenes conflicts occurring beneath the main war.
11 years after launch, Pillars of Eternity's new turn-based mode feels like the way it's meant to be played
Obsidian Entertainment has released a major update for Pillars of Eternity, adding a full turn-based combat mode alongside its original real-time with pause mechanics. This new mode, previously in beta, offers a more deliberate approach to combat, making each decision impactful and potentially providing a gentler introduction for new players or a fresh experience for veterans. The update also improves upon the turn-based system introduced in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.
'Realtime-with-pause is not dead,' says lead designer of promising turn-based game Star Wars Zero Company
Lead designer James Brawley of the upcoming Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws, stated that realtime-with-pause combat is not dead and will have its resurgence. He believes that while older RTWP games could be slow and require significant patience, future titles in the genre can innovate and capture a wider audience, similar to how turn-based combat has become more mainstream.
Star Wars Zero Company's lead mission designer is eagerly waiting to watch all your all-astromech challenge runs: 'Granted, it might not be a very easy thing to do'
Star Wars Zero Company's lead mission designer James Brawley is eager to see players attempt an all-astromech droid challenge run upon the game's launch. Brawley drew inspiration from completing Final Fantasy with a party of white mages, aiming to make astromechs a viable and satisfying support unit, though primary story missions will require the protagonist character.
