Most of the developers behind the critically acclaimed Star Wars Zero Company were furloughed weeks before the game’s launch last week, as a legal dispute between the studio founders puts Bit Reactor’s ownership into question.
According to Game File, a source claims roughly 80 percent of staff were put on furlough. What this means is these developers have been placed on a leave of absence without pay, a measure usually done when there is no work to do, or if no funds are available to pay them. Another source claims only a skeleton crew remains on active payroll to address bugs on Zero Company.
A Bit Reactor spokesperson confirmed to Game File that “many” of its staff were furloughed, and emphasised that this had nothing to do with Star Wars Zero Company publisher EA or Disney, the owner of the Star Wars IP. An August update to a 2024 lawsuit states that “most” of the staff at the studio were impacted, though the representative refused to comment on the exact scope of these cuts.
The reason for this widespread furloughing of staff is tied to money, as it appears the developer ran out of funds just short of the game’s release. Senior technical artist Zachariah Scott posted on LinkedIn that Bit Reactor was “seemingly concealing” that staff were furloughed weeks ago. Game File contacted Scott, who went on to claim that nearly a dozen staff they had talked to had been put on furlough within that time frame.
A Bit Reactor spokesperson told Game File the studio hoped to bring these furloughed developers back with restored pay, and suggested the recent launch of Star Wars Zero Company would help in this regard. Scott on the other hand was skeptical that all those affected would be brought back.
As for that lawsuit mentioned earlier, in it studio co-founder Alison Kelly revealed these furloughs were first meant to go to trial in June. The suit revolves around ownership rights and its co-founders, with Kelly kicking off the legal battle in 2024 and claiming she was pushed out of the company. The other co-founder, Greg Foertsch, claims sole ownership.
Kelly has cited damages of $20m, and claims the studio is worth double that figure. On the other hand, Foertsch has argued Kelly was never a co-owner of the company, and has brought her job performance into question, an argument Kelly denies.
This news of furloughs is a sad development to what should be a triumphant moment for Bit Reactor. Zero Company is receiving widespread praise from fans and critics alike, with many adoring its depiction of the Star Wars universe and tactical gameplay. The game quickly rose to the top of Steam’s Top Seller’s list too, indicating some measure of fiscal success. Here’s hoping the developers behind this release get the pay they deserve.
