Star Wars Zero Company: Why an XCOM-Style Clone Wars Game Is Exactly What We Need
Bit Reactor and Respawn just revealed Star Wars: Zero Company, a turn-based tactics game set during the twilight of the Clone Wars. Here is why stepping into the boots of an unconventional Republic outfit is the gaming leap the franchise has been waiting for.
For years, fans have debated what the perfect Star Wars tactical game would look like. We've had incredible action-adventure runs with Cal Kestis in Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, and we've lived the boots-on-the-ground fantasy in Republic Commando. But strategy? The kind of methodical, turn-based combat that makes you sweat over every single unit placement? We haven't had a proper fix for that.
Until now.
Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor (a studio literally built by veterans of the XCOM franchise) have officially pulled back the curtain on Star Wars: Zero Company. Slated for a 2026 release across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, this single-player turn-based tactics game is dropping us into one of the most compelling, chaotic eras of the timeline: the twilight of the Clone Wars.
The Misfits of Zero Company
Zero Company puts us in control of Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads a very different kind of unit. Forget the shiny, by-the-book perfection of the 501st Legion. Zero Company is described as an "unconventional outfit of professionals for hire hailing from across the galaxy." They are the misfits, the mercenaries, the grunts operating in the shadows of a conflict that is tearing the galaxy apart.
If you're getting The Bad Batch vibes mixed with the grit of Andor, you aren't alone. The twilight of the Clone Wars is a phenomenally rich setting. The Republic is stretched thin, the Separatists are desperate, and Order 66 is a looming shadow that gives every mission an underlying sense of tragic inevitability. Putting a tactical game in this specific pocket of the timeline allows for massive stakes without necessarily bumping into Anakin and Obi-Wan every five minutes.
Why This Genre Fits Star Wars
The marriage of Star Wars and the turn-based tactics genre is a match made in the Force. Think about the classic Clone Wars episodes—like the siege of Umbara or the defense of Kamino. Those battles weren't won by a lone Jedi waving a lightsaber; they were won by strategic positioning, utilizing different class abilities, and making impossible choices under fire.
With Bit Reactor at the helm, we can expect deep, XCOM-style mechanics. We'll likely be managing our squad's loadouts, dealing with permadeath (or at least severe consequences for tactical failures), and exploring third-person environments between intense combat encounters.
May the Force Be With Our Squad
Zero Company is poised to fill a massive void in the Star Wars gaming lineup. While The Mandalorian & Grogu are preparing to conquer theaters and Ahsoka continues her journey on Disney+, Hawks and his crew of misfits are going to let us experience the Clone Wars in a way we never have before.
Prepare your squad. The Clone Wars aren't over just yet.
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