How to play Star Wars Zero Company now that it's out
Star Wars Zero Company is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in Standard, Deluxe, and Collector's Editions. You play as former Republic Officer Hawks, commanding turn-based tactical squads during the Clone Wars from a base called the Den—unlike real-time adventures such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, where action never pauses.
Lucasfilm's first Star Wars tactics game launched August 27, 2026, and early reviews suggest it is landing with unusual force. Forbes reports an 86 Metacritic score—the highest for a Star Wars game in 22 years, edging past titles like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (85).
Key Takeaways
- Star Wars Zero Company is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with optional permadeath and adjustable difficulty.
- Combat is turn-based: each operator gets three action points per turn for moving, attacking, overwatch, and special abilities.
- The game holds an 86 Metacritic score—the best Star Wars game rating since Knights of the Old Republic II in 2004.
- Between missions, Hawks manages operations and squad bonds at the Den on the Ring of Kafrene.
- PC players may need to tune Unreal Engine 5 settings, especially on lower-end CPUs, per IGN's guide.
What is Star Wars Zero Company and how do you play it?
In a turn-based tactics game, combat pauses while you decide what each operator does next. StarWars.com explains that every operator has health points and three action points (AP) to move, attack, and use abilities during their turn.
After you choose an action, the result plays out immediately. Once your squad finishes, opponents take their turn. You can move into cover, attack enemies, call for backup from nearby teammates, set overwatch for reaction shots, or rally injured operators back into the fight.
Special actions cost Advantage points, earned when operators damage enemies. Mission objectives appear in the top left and on the map—complete them to finish each operation successfully.
Why does Zero Company matter for Star Wars gaming?
According to Forbes, Star Wars Zero Company scored 86 on Metacritic across 41 PC reviews, placing it among 2026's highest-rated AAA releases and the best-reviewed Star Wars title since Knights of the Old Republic II (2004).
That one-point edge over Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is subjective, but the milestone signals Lucasfilm and Bit Reactor delivered something rare: a genuinely well-received Star Wars game in a crowded, uneven catalog. For more breaking coverage on major entertainment launches, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
How do missions and the Den hub work?
You play Hawks gathering unconventional allies to fight a cult called The Infinite Coil. The Den—a decommissioned cargo freighter docked at the Ring of Kafrene—serves as Zero Company's home base.
At the Holotable, Hawks picks tactical missions ranging from Risky to Extreme difficulty. Critical missions advance the main story. Operations are non-combat assignments spending Intel points for credits, items, and squad influence.
StarWars.com recommends talking to teammates in the Den before deploying, enabling permadeath for emotional stakes, and finishing all base activities before missions advance to the next cycle—you cannot tackle every job in a single cycle.
What should PC players know before launching?
IGN's settings guide notes Zero Company runs on Unreal Engine 5 and can strain CPUs, with frame drops and occasional crashes even on high-end hardware. Nvidia users should enable DLSS; AMD users should use FSR; Intel users can try XeSS.
If your CPU is the bottleneck, lower Effect Quality and Hidden Objects Detail first. Turn on Reflex or Anti-Lag, and consider Frame Generation—latency matters less in turn-based combat. Shadow Quality and Global Illumination are good cuts if your GPU is struggling.