Most Star Wars Zero Company developers were furloughed ahead of launch
Most of the developers behind Star Wars: Zero Company were furloughed roughly two weeks before the game's August 27 launch, leaving roughly 80% of Bit Reactor's team on unpaid leave despite a critically acclaimed release. Game File's Stephen Totilo and Aftermath both report that the Maryland studio stood down the majority of staff while a skeleton crew remained to handle post-launch bugs.
Key Takeaways
- Bit Reactor confirmed it furloughed most workers before Zero Company's launch, and said the decision was its own—not EA's or Disney's.
- Sources told Game File roughly 80% of the team was affected after the studio ran out of most of its cash reserves.
- A co-founder lawsuit filing from August 12 first documented the furloughs amid a long-running ownership dispute.
- Zero Company launched August 27 to strong reviews and became Steam's top-selling game, but many developers still aren't being paid.
- Bit Reactor hopes to restore pay and recall furloughed staff, though former employees expressed doubt all would return.
Why were Bit Reactor developers furloughed before Zero Company launched?
Financial strain drove the decision. Game File reported that Bit Reactor, founded in 2021, had exhausted most of its money just ahead of its debut title's release. A studio representative told Totilo the furloughs were a difficult call made before launch performance was known.
The timing collided with a legal battle between co-founders Alison Kelly and Greg Foertsch over studio ownership. Kelly sued in 2024 alleging she was pushed out and seeking more than $20 million in damages. An August 12 court filing noted Bit Reactor had "furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors."
How many Star Wars Zero Company staff were furloughed?
Bit Reactor declined to specify exact numbers, but multiple sources painted a stark picture. One told Game File the furloughs hit about 80% of the team; another described only a skeleton crew left on active payroll to address post-launch issues.
Former senior technical artist Zachariah Scott, who left Bit Reactor in May, told Game File he spoke with nearly a dozen current workers over the weekend. He said they reported being furloughed about three weeks before release and accused the studio of concealing the situation publicly.
Will furloughed Bit Reactor employees return after launch?
That remains uncertain. A Bit Reactor rep told Game File the studio hopes to bring furloughed workers back with restored pay, suggesting Zero Company's commercial success could help. Scott said employees he contacted were less confident everyone would regain their previous roles.
The irony is sharp: Zero Company earned stellar reviews, topped Steam sales charts, and drew praise as one of the best Star Wars games in years—yet many who built it aren't collecting paychecks. It's another case of talented developers delivering a hit only to face job insecurity at the moment of triumph, a pattern familiar across the Future Tech & AI Wonders beat and the wider games industry.
For full reporting, see Game File's investigation into the furloughs and founder dispute.